New Delhi: Reliance Retail resumed its roll-out in Orissa on Tuesday in spite of protest from local traders.
The group, which had recently threatened to pack up from several states, including Orissa and Uttar Pradesh, where it did not get favourable response, resumed its retail rollout in the state again by opening a new store at the Gopabandhu square of Bhubaneswar on Tuesday morning.
The new outlet had to pull down the shutters for a brief period as hundreds of traders attacked the showroom. On Monday, the company had reopened its outlet at the city's Kalpana Square.
"The outlets, both at Kalpana Square and at Gopabandhu square were opened after the agitators left the place," a company executive said, adding that police had been urged to take action against the agitators.
According to police, an employee of company's Kalpana Square outlet sustained injuries during stone pelting by traders. Portions of the two showrooms were damaged and the employees were fearing loss of jobs.
Reliance Retail plans to open 235 Reliance Fresh outlets in Orissa, including 11 in Bhubaneshwar and nine in Cuttack, as part of its Rs 3,000-crore rollout plan in the state. Reliance Retail plans to open its proposed outlet at Nayapalli before Dusshera.
Last month, Reliance Fresh stores in the state were forced to close by police amid protests from traders, which prompted the company to rethink on its plans to sell fruits or vegetables in the stores.
"No decision has been taken as yet, but discussions are on, and we might not sell fruits and vegetables in stores and focus on other items like cereals, staple and dairy products etc," a company official said.
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