Sambalpur, March 27: The municipal corporation will evict roadside vendors from the Ainthapali Chhak-PHED office stretch and relocate them in a proposed market near the Batamangala temple in the city.

The decision has been made to ease traffic on the busy stretch.

The Sambalpur Municipal Corporation has identified a 10,000sqft of the water resource department near the temple at Ainthapali to develop a vegetable market. "We have already requested the irrigation department for the land," said deputy commissioner of the civic body Sudhansu Bhoi.

"We have decided to construct concrete platforms and shed on the land to accommodate the roadside vendors," he said.

More than 100 roadside vendors, who run their business along the Ainthapali Chhak-Budharaja road, will be accommodated on the land. He also said the corporation would issue identity cards to all the roadside vendors of the city shortly.

"The work on developing the vegetable market at Ainthapali will start after the identity cards are issued. The shifting of the vendors will reduce traffic mess on the busy Ainthapali-Budharaja road," he said.

The Ainthapali-Budharaja road is one of the busiest stretches and considered the entrance way to the city. However, several vendors are seen operating their business occupying the road from Ainthapali Chhak to PHED office. The commuters often face traffic congestion because of the roadside vendors. Moreover, one can also see customers parking their vehicles on the road to shop from the roadside market. The haphazard parking of the vehicles also adds to the traffic chaos. The situation becomes worse in the morning when a large number of people visit the market.

Earlier, the vendors had been evicted from the stretch when the road-widening work was carried out. However, after its completion, the roadside market cropped up again. Now, all products - from vegetables to fish - are available in the market along the road.

"The roadside vendors are the major reason behind the traffic chaos on the busy road. The traffic problem of that area will be resolved after the vendors are shifted," said local resident Santanu Mishra.

"The corporation should also think of developing vending zones to accommodate these vendors," said a commuter, Pappu Pattnaik.