Bhubaneswar: The shop owners staged a protest Monday by shutting down their shops and even threatened to continue their protest for an indefinite period.
Kulange, while assuring the shop owners, said, “We emptied the area during Hockey World Cup yet they are all back again and I believe this can only be addressed by rehabilitating the makeshift vendors. Legal action will be taken in the next 3-4 days. But by the time we expect cooperation from the permanent shop owners. A decision in this regard will be taken after necessary legal consultation.”
In the protest, permanent shop owners demanded eviction of the makeshift vendors numbering more than 200 who create chaos leading to unnecessary crowd causing inconvenience to the customers. Incidents of chain snatching and other crimes have also been reported.
Significantly the Market Building had remained closed for an indefinite period following a brawl between the makeshift vendors and members of the traders’ association in June last year.
Later, the business resumed following a discussion with the BMC officials and Commissionerate Police.