Bhubaneswar, Jan. 8: The fate of Ashoka Market near Master Canteen Square is in limbo as plans to demolish it and relocate the traders remain on paper.

Not only has the tender not been floated, the Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA) has no idea where to relocate the displaced traders.

Considered one of the city's oldest, the market is under the administrative control of Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA). As the New Year begins, the authority's plan to demolish the dilapidated market remains uncertain.

The market building was built by the BDA in 1980. The market has around 150 shops of different categories. The BDA in 1989 had asked the Ashoka Market Merchants' Society to look after security and cleaning of the market that is visited by more than 20,000 people regularly.

Manas Ranjan Sahu, 45, a shop owner in the market, said: "If the BDA has not yet taken a decision regarding when the market will be demolished. If they did, they should pay attention to cleanliness at the facility." He added that the BDA, based on request by the traders, had sent repair workers to mend the building. "But they just put some plaster on the walls that peel off after a few days," Sahu said.

The authority has plans to develop the BDA city centre, which includes renovating the Bhubaneswar railway station, building parks and a two-tower shopping complex.

The authority officials had in August last year said that the detailed project report for the city centre was in place and tender for the project would be floated in two months. However, four months have passed, but there is no headway in the project involving demolishing the crumbling market and developing a two-tower shopping complex in its place.

On the other hand, work on renovating the railway station to build a multi-modal hub has already begun. The traders at the market feel that along with the BDA, the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC), too, should focus on improving the market's civic amenities.

"It seems that after coming out with the demolition plan the authorities have completely forgotten about the condition of the market. It is clear that the plan's execution is going to take time. Until then, the authorities should ensure that the condition of the market does not deteriorate further," said Priyaranjan Biswal, 52, a mobile shop owner.

Biswal said the traders at the market spend from their pockets to repair the shops allotted to them. "This despite the fact that we pay the rent on time." The market has shops in three categories - senior room, booth and small booth. While traders pay Rs 3,000 per month for a senior room, the rent for a booth and a small booth is Rs 2,000 and Rs 1,500, respectively. Biswal said sanitation inside the market has also emerged as a matter of concern. He alleged that the BMC sweepers do not visit the market regularly to undertake sanitation activities.

Santanu Acharya, 62, medical equipment shop owner, said the market's dilapidated condition had tarnished its image. "The market is located in a prime area of the city. It should have been one of the best shopping facilities in the city. However, this is not the case due to the apathetic attitude of the authorities," he rued.

BDA secretary Debaraj Senapati said the tender for demolition of the market has not been floated yet. He said no timeline had been fixed for issuing the tender and the relocation site was yet to be finalised.