Bhubaneswar: The development authority has made no tangible progress in demolishing the Ashoka Market, more than a month and half after vacating and taking possession of the building.

The Bhubaneswar Development Authority had tagged the market complex "unsafe" and taken possession of it in February after months-long efforts to vacate it. It asked the 126 shop owners who were conducting business in the market complex for three decades to vacate the building.

"This market complex was the source of our livelihood. So many of my customers know me for my shop at this complex. Now, they have taken over my shop and provided me with another one at Nayapalli. I have lost a considerable number of my customers and my business has suffered," said Satyajeet Hota, a former shop owner at the complex.

Apart from its unsafe status, the building also came in the way of developing another multi-storey market complex as part of the railway station multi-modal hub project at Master Canteen Square under the Smart City Mission.

"It is going to be the biggest ever demolition drive the city has ever seen and we have decided to hire a separate agency for the work. We have already floated the tender to select an agency. The process will be completed by the end of March and the selected agency will complete the demolition work in April," said a development authority official.

The development authority has given assurances to the evicted shopkeepers that they would be brought back to the new market complex once it is constructed. However, looking at the delay, the shopkeepers fear that it will be a long wait for them.

They also alleged foul play on part of the authorities. "They just planned and evicted us. They can demolish the complex on their own. They are delaying it for some vested interest. I have no faith in them that they will rehabilitate us," said another evicted shopkeeper on condition of anonymity.