The Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) has launched plans to redevelop the Badagada Haat into a modern, well-organised commercial complex while preserving the essence of the traditional market that supports hundreds of small vendors and daily shoppers. The civic body has floated a tender for the project, which includes design, construction, and operation and maintenance of the facility for three years. Officials stated that the project aims to transform the unplanned, overcrowded market into a cleaner, safer, and more accessible urban marketplace without displacing livelihoods.
Proposed Facilities and Features
According to BMC officials, the proposed facility will integrate modern retail infrastructure with a dedicated traditional haat zone. Plans include a multi-storey market complex with organised shops, structured vending platforms for vegetable, fish, and meat sellers, improved parking facilities, internal roads, pedestrian pathways, and public amenities. The project also proposes universal accessibility features, proper waste disposal systems, and CCTV-based surveillance to enhance safety and crowd management.
Mayor's Statement
“The idea is not to replace the haat but to upgrade it. Badagada Haat has long been an important livelihood centre and neighbourhood market. The redevelopment will ensure better hygiene, fire safety, drainage, and traffic management while retaining space for traditional vendors,” said city mayor Sulochana Das. Officials noted that the redevelopment will help decongest surrounding roads, which often witness traffic congestion due to haphazard parking and encroachments.
Vendor and Resident Reactions
Local vendors who have operated from the site for years welcomed the move. “During the rainy season, waterlogging and poor drainage make business very difficult. If the new design gives us covered platforms, clean surroundings, and steady footfall, it will help us a lot,” said Suryakant Jena, a vegetable seller at the haat. Residents in the surrounding Laxmisagar-Badagada area also see the project as a long-pending civic intervention. “This market caters to several neighbourhoods but lacks basic facilities. A planned complex will improve safety and convenience, especially for women and elderly shoppers,” said Niraj Hota, a Badagada resident.
Rehabilitation of Vendors
BMC officials stated that adequate space will be earmarked for existing vendors and that rehabilitation will be carried out within the new complex. “Stakeholder interests will be protected. The focus is on orderly development that balances economic activity with public convenience,” officials added.
