The Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) and the Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA) jointly began a demolition drive at the Lingaraj Market complex in the Old Town area here on Friday.
The demolition drive began as per a prior notice. One platoon of police force was deployed at the spot to prevent any untoward incident.
But the shopkeepers expressed resentment over the demolition drive. “The authorities informed about their decision to demolish the structures just 48 hours ago and suddenly went ahead with the drive today. Many of us did not get the information on time which is why we have not been able to move out,” said a shopkeeper.
Notably, in 2013, the BMC had declared the market complex as ‘unsafe and in a dilapidated state’. Later, it announced to demolish the establishment.
The civic body had asked the traders to shift their business to the new market complex constructed behind the Anantavasudev Temple.
