Rourkela, Feb. 25: The proposed wholesale vegetable market in the city, billed as the state's largest, will finally see the light of day after the state government transferred land for the project to the regulated marketing committee.

The Telegraph, in its February 14 edition, published a report "Market plan in limbo" about how a bureaucratic quandary surrounding departmental land transfer had put the project's future in balance.

Now, after the land transfer, the construction of the market yard is expected to start shortly. Speaking to The Telegraph, Sundargarh collector B.S. Punia said: "I am going to ask the Panposh sub-collector to begin construction of the boundary wall."

Chief minister Naveen Patnaik had laid the foundation stone for the 12.3-acre Rourkela Wholesale Market in February 2014. The market was supposed to be built at a cost Rs 98.45 crore. Local farmers and consumers will both benefit once it comes up.

But since then, wild shrubs have taken over the barren land identified for the project. The cost of the complex may also go up due to the two-year delay.

Panposh sub-collector Himanshu Sekhar Behera, who is also the ex-officio chairman of the marketing committee, said: "As soon as we get the order, we will begin construction of the boundary wall."

The initial cost for the boundary wall construction was estimated at Rs 1.5 crore.

Ramesh Bala, chairman of the panel's sub-committee on construction, said: "There is no problem now. The land, which is valued at Rs 5 crore, has been transferred, and we will begin construction of the boundary wall shortly."

However, of the 12.3 acres, 1.5 acres are still under illegal occupation, said a staff member of the committee.

The state government, Rashtriya Krishi Vikash Yojana and the committee will jointly fund the project.

The wholesale market will have modern facilities such as cold storage, facilitation centre for farmers, medical facilities with a small dispensary, information centre and others.