Bhubaneswar, Aug. 22: A town hall with a seating capacity of 1,000 will come up shortly in Sambalpur city.

Western Odisha Development Council has sanctioned Rs 9 crore for the auditorium to be built on a land at Modipara and the Public Works Department will execute the project.

The tender for the construction will be floated after the detailed project report is prepared.

According to the plan, a three-storied building would be constructed under the project. The ground floor will be used for parking, the first floor a 1,000-seater town hall and the second floor will be a market complex.

Chairperson of Samabalpur Development Authority Bijaya Mohanty said: "The ground floor and the first floor will be constructed with the funds sanctioned by the state development council in the first phase. The second floor will be constructed later. The Samabalpur Development Authority will provide fund for the construction of the second floor, which will house various shops."

Earlier, the private bus stand in Sambalpur was operational on the same land, where the town hall has been proposed. However, in 1999, the private bus terminus was shifted to Ainthapali. The land has been lying unused since then. There is a market complex, consisting of 87 shops, on the plot but, of the total 87 shops, around 75 are operational now.

"The market will be demolished after the three-storied building is constructed. The people, who are running their business in the existing market complex, will be accommodated in the second floor," Mohanty said.