Shopkeepers at Unit-I market in Bhubaneswar. Telegraph picture

Bhubaneswar, July 12: The Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation will launch a survey to prepare a list of bona fide traders in the Unit-I market before going for its renovation.

The survey assumes significance with traders demanding accommodation for all of them in the renovated market, which is to be constructed on a 1.9-acre-plot behind the place where the present market stands.

Earlier, there was a plan to construct a multi-storeyed market complex on the present 3.2-acre-area of the market. The state government has decided to develop a vast stretch of area on both sides of Rajpath up to AG Square to make an “urban regeneration complex”, with all the modern shopping complexes, eateries, tourism and cultural hubs. The traders said though there were 1,053 official occupants in the market, more than 300 to 400 persons had also been earning their livelihood with temporary structures since decades. “We want to include all the traders in the renovated market complex and they are also ready to pay for their share,” said the office bearers of the traders’ body.

The corporation officers, however, said as the market had fallen under the civic body’s jurisdiction, a fresh survey was necessary to identify the original occupants of the shops. The survey would be finished within seven days starting from tomorrow. The new multi-storeyed structure would have four floors and one basement-parking space. In fact, the old plan to construct the multi-storeyed structure along Rajpath might have caused serious traffic problem.

The chief secretary today chaired the discussion regarding development of the 600-metre-stretch each on both sides of Rajpath up to AG Square. Discussions were made on how to set up the “urban regeneration complex” by taking into account some portions of both the Unit-I and Unit-II markets.

The mega plan is to have a nice place between the city airport and railway station. All amenities for a business traveller would be there. However, all the components such as land requirement and acquisition have not yet been discussed in detail.

“The corridor along Rajpath will be first surveyed to get an idea about the land availability. Then the engineers will plan the rest to go for the designing aspect and if possible, a reputed landscape designer will be roped in to develop the area,” said an officer of the housing and urban development department.