Bhubaneswar: The Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation has initiated work on a major infrastructure project aimed at reducing traffic congestion in the Odisha capital by relocating the historic Unit-I wholesale vegetable market to a new integrated trading complex at Bhagabanpur.
The proposed ₹45 crore project is expected to improve traffic movement in central Bhubaneswar while modernising the city’s wholesale vegetable distribution system with upgraded logistics and trading infrastructure.
The new wholesale market complex will come up on a 9.36-acre site at Bhagabanpur near National Highway 16, a location officials say will provide improved regional connectivity for transport vehicles and reduce the entry of heavy trucks into crowded city areas.
The existing Unit-I wholesale market, operational since 1957, currently functions on a congested four-acre site and handles more than 200 truck movements every day. Around 49 wholesale vendors operate from the market, which frequently faces traffic bottlenecks, sanitation concerns and difficulties in emergency access.
According to civic officials, the upcoming facility will include several modern features such as double-storey trading blocks with industrial flooring, dedicated loading and unloading bays, wide internal roads, large truck parking areas, solar power systems, rainwater harvesting infrastructure, driver rest rooms and public sanitation facilities. Landscaped public spaces and kiosks are also planned as part of the project.
Authorities further stated that advanced stormwater drainage and fire detection systems will be incorporated to improve operational safety and sustainability.
The BMC has invited bids for the project on a turnkey basis. The selected agency will undertake the design, engineering, construction and maintenance of the wholesale market complex for three years after completion.
BMC engineering officials, led by Narad Chandra Rath, will closely monitor the implementation process. Civic authorities have set a target of completing the project within two years after the contract is awarded.
Officials believe the relocation will significantly reduce congestion around the busy Unit-I area and improve overall urban traffic management in Bhubaneswar. The project is also expected to strengthen supply chain efficiency and address long-standing sanitation and safety challenges associated with the current wholesale market.
The initiative is being seen as part of the city’s broader urban modernisation and infrastructure expansion efforts.
-OdishaAge
