3 days ago
- Business
- New Indian Express
3.5 years on, evicted traders of CMC market complex yet to be rehabilitated
CUTTACK: Over three-and-a-half years have passed, but the Cuttack administration is yet to rehabilitate the 30 shopkeepers that it had evicted during the demolition of the CMC market complex in Ranihat to facilitate easy access to SCB medical college and hospital.
Sources said, after the state government initiated steps for expansion of SCB MCH, the 30 shop owners who ran their stores in the CMC market complex were evicted and the structure demolished in November 2021 for expansion of the Taladanda Canal road to improve connectivity to the hospital.
During eviction, the administration had provided cheques amounting to Rs 1 lakh to each affected shopkeeper towards compensation, and assured to rehabilitate them by constructing a market complex on a piece of land near Ranihat High School within six months. However due to some issues, the administration changed its decision and decided to construct the market complex adjacent to the land allotted to OPTCL for construction of grid station.
Accordingly, a detailed project report (DPR) was prepared and tender floated by Odisha Bridge & Construction Corporation Limited (OBCC) for construction of a modern multi-purpose market complex before the general election. However, the new BJP government cancelled it after coming to power.
'Now in the last one year, the DPR has been changed thrice but the authorities concerned are yet to take a final decision. With no income to maintain their families, some of the evicted shopkeepers are under acute mental stress,' said former local corporator Bijay Kumar Sahoo, urging the administration to rehabilitate them soon.
Collector Dattatraya Bhausaheb Shinde and mayor Subhas Singh could not be reached for their comments.
