Bhubaneswar, Oct. 4: Here is good news for those who love to shop for non-vegetarian delicacies - the municipal corporation is close to completing construction of the city's first wet market at Ghatikia.

Once inaugurated, the market, which has 12 modern shops, will sell products such as meat, fish and poultry items. The civic body has spent Rs 1.67 crore for its construction.

The concept of wet market has been adopted from Singapore where such facilities are quite popular. The markets are called 'wet' because vendors clean the floors with water after washing and cleaning fishes and other non-vegetarian items.

'The work on the structure is almost complete. Plaster and electric wiring work are also over. Other works such as providing electricity and water connection are in progress. The work will end in the next two months,' said an official of the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation.

Ghatikia has been chosen for the project, as open slaughtering of animals is rampant in this part of the city. Moreover, there are several places in the city where roadside vendors sell non-vegetarian stuff in an unhygienic manner.

'I guess this is one of the city's biggest fish and meat markets. We get fresh fish and meat products here, but the way they sell it is not proper. Many of the vendors sit by the sides of the drains, which is not a good place to keep food items,' said Gothapatna resident Ritesh Acharya.

Mayor Ananta Narayan Jena said they had chosen Ghatikia for the project since it was a good market to sell fish and meat. However, due to non-availability of a proper place, vendors sell the products in an unorganised and unhygienic manner, he said.

'The market will organise the vendors at one place,' said Jena.

Vendors have also welcomed the corporation's move but also have a plea to make. They want more kiosks at the market since 12 will not be enough to accommodate all the vendors.

'Since it is a good market with considerable footfall, I come from Niali to sell various kinds of fish. Like me, there are hundreds of others and for them 12 shops are simply too inadequate,' said vendor Namrata Behera.

The corporation had in February last year planned to set up two wet markets in the city - one at Ghatikia and another at Unit IV. While Ghatikia market is nearing completion, the other one at Unit IV has shown no progress. A civic official said the market at Unit IV was facing hurdles due to local opposition.

'They want to evict us to facilitate construction of the market. If they are really serious about constructing the market, the corporation should provide us with an alternative site till the new market is built,' said meat seller Hakkim Mohammad.

The mayor said they had already identified a vacant land at Unit IV near the existing market for construction of the second wet market.

'We have already spoken to the vendors and with a month or two we will start constructing the market at the identified site,' said Jena.