High Court directs Ashoka Market shop owners to vacate premises by Jan 31

Bhubaneswar: In a historic decision the honourable Orissa High Court today directed the shop owners of Ashoka Market to vacate the premises and hand over the keys and possession of their establishments to the authorities by January 31, 2018.

The historic judgment has paved the path for the development of the most promising Smart City project named Bhubaneswar Town Centre, in which the city railway station and its adjoining area of 12 acres would be developed as a world-class infrastructure with various facilities including a multi-modal transport hub.

Renowned design consultant Jurong from Singapore will design the hub, which would be an iconic destination in the city.

Today, the Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA) presented an action taken report to the honourable court on the hearing of the shop owners of Ashoka Market by Vice-Chairman BDA, as per orders of the honourable High Court on December 8, 2017.

As per the report, a total number of 19 grievances were received from the shop owners and they were heard in person by VC, BDA, on four different dates during last month. Based on the hearing by BDA, it was decided to quickly resolve specific grievances submitted by five shop owners for facilitating of shifting to allotted shops at alternate locations.

Similarly, the decision was taken to give permission for change of allotment for two shop owners who wanted to take a particular shop other than the one allotted to them and the shops concerned providing no objections in the former’’ favour agreeing to surrender those shops for allotment to petitioners.

It has also been decided to consider a change of allotment through a process of lottery, subject to availability for eleven shop owners, who wished to change their allotted shops and had given their preference for BDA shops in other areas.