Bhubaneswar, Feb. 17: The city administration is planning to open an all-night market here for the city's buy-buy brigade. The corporation has sought suggestions from residents on the proposal.
The idea of a night market came up in the wake of Bhubaneswar topping the Centre's smart city race.
Residents can visit the official website, www.smartcitybhubaneswar.gov.in" www.smartcitybhubaneswar.gov.in, and give their feedbacks and suggestions on the "Citizen Wall" or they can also express their views on the twitter handle, @Bbsr2SmartCity, and can also write on the official Facebook page of Bhubaneswar - Smart City.
"A night market seems to be an exciting idea. I suggest that the bazaar should come up at a place that is centrally located such as Janpath. It will help those who work till late at night," said Sashi Bhusan Padhi, a bank employee.
At present, not a single food kiosk remains open after 11pm due to security restrictions. One has to travel to the outskirts of the city to locate a dhaba.
"Markets are closed at night to prevent goons from creating a ruckus. Only emergency services such as pharmacies are open. Once there is a night market, we have to ensure that goons, especially drunkards, don't create any nuisance," said deputy commissioner of police Satyabrata Bhoi.
Night bazaars are common in various cities, including New Delhi, Calcutta, Bangalore, Indore, Pune and Mumbai. But the weekly Saturday Night Bazaar in Goa has earned a big name because of the variety of items available there.
Saheed Nagar resident Satyakam Panda said there should be a good night market in Bhubaneswar. "The market should have all kinds of shops, including garments and food kiosks," said Panda. The problem of goons could be addressed if the market is located centrally, he added.
Earlier, Station Bazaar in Cuttack used to remain open at night, but nowadays it closes by midnight due to security issues. a different market, which will have all possible facilities for the residents. We need feedback from the people following which we will decide on the market's establishment," said a corporation official.
