Vendors sell vegetables at the Jharkhand market in Rourkela. Picture by Uttam Kumar Pal

Rourkela, March 6: The Rourkela Steel Plant has renovated the old vegetable market near Ispat General Hospital at Sector-19 here.

The renovated market has now given a platform to vendors, who used to sell vegetables in various temporary mandis scattered across the city. The old vegetable market at Sector-19 is popular as the Jharkhand market as most of the vegetable vendors come here from the neighbouring state. In the old market, there were some shanties scattered across a mud-filled stinking ground. The market did not have any facilities to speak of.

But now, the renovated market accommodates about 620 vendors, who sell their vegetable in proper pindis or concrete platforms that are set in several rows across the ground.

The steel plant authorities have constructed 37 long concrete platforms across the 4.5-acre ground as a part of their corporate social responsibility initiative.

“The steel plant authorities have given the market a new look with construction of row-wise pindis. Now, one can get fresh vegetables here at a reasonable price and in a hygienic atmosphere as well,” said Sujata Mishra, a local resident.

Chandra Gour, a vendor who comes to sell vegetables here from Nuagaon on the other side of Koel river, said: “There was no communication facility from Nuagaon to the temporary mandis where I used to go. This used to affect our business. A lot of my produce used to perish because of the lack of communication facility. But, the present market helps us a lot.”

An official of the steel plant said that the market was well-connected with internally-linked concrete roads. He said provisions had also been made for adequate parking space for both vendors and customers.

The authorities have put up a big garbage bin for collecting daily waste from the area to avoid stink and slush.

“At present, we are working to provide toilet facilities here. This market is of immense help to both the local people and the vendors,” said another official of the plant.