For all these years a major road passed between Khanadagiri and Udaygiri sites with various shops along the road. See picture below.

Finally the government has a plan to close this road and create the right ambiance for such a historic site. Following are excerpts from a report in Telegraph.

The state government has decided to close a road that passes through the historic Khandagiri and Udaygiri caves to vehicular traffic in a bid to bolster tourism and beautify the environs of the twin hills.

The Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) took the first step in this regard by identifying 24 shops near the hills.

These have been asked to shift behind the Udayagiri hills where a vending zone is coming up.

Priyadarshi Mohapatra, deputy municipal commissioner, said: “The state government plans to give a distinct touch to the historic monuments in the 2nd Century BC Khandagiri-Udayagiri caves. For that, the historic sites is expected to be visible from a distance and not get hidden under an unplanned growth of shops and vendors.”

There is a ‘panthanivas’ and a public convenience centre, but the other areas are either used for unplanned parking of heavy vehicles or have been encroached upon by vendors and shop owners.

“Today we initiated the process to find out the genuine shop owners so that they can be relocated behind the Udayagiri hills in front of the proposed tourism information centre, which is being developed by the Orissa Tourism Development Corporation,” Mohapatra added.

…“Once the space in front of Khandagiri-Udayagiri with 33 caves is clear of the congestion, tourists will enjoy their stay in the caves.

“They would have more recreation facilities once the beautification drive takes place in sync with the architecture of the hills,” said a tourism official of the state government.

… The tourism complex near Khandagiri-Udayagiri caves will house a quality interpretation centre with a food court serving an array of Oriya cuisine, public convenience, souvenir centre, audio-visual facility and entertainment and independent parking space.

This will serve as a cultural hub so that tourists coming to the city, especially to the cave sites and Jayadev Vatika, will have a detailed knowledge about the cultural tradition of the state.

Besides the interpretation centre, a common facilitation centre for handicrafts development will also be included in the compound to promote artisans in stone, brass and bell metals, fibre art, applique, terracotta and pattachitra work.