The Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) has announced plans to construct permanent multipurpose rest sheds equipped with all basic facilities for gig workers and its sanitation workforce across all 67 wards of the city.
Experimental Facilities Already in Place
On an experimental basis, the civic body has already established three such facilities, which also serve as attendance hubs for regular and temporary sanitation workers. Previously, the city lacked designated spaces where gig workers such as delivery personnel, app-cab drivers, and couriers could take a break without resorting to sitting on road dividers.
Features of the Rest Sheds
BMC Deputy Commissioner N Ganesh Babu stated that every ward will have a multipurpose rest shed serving both gig workers and the sanitation workforce throughout the year. “While we have created the sheds as attendance facilities for our sanitation workers, they also double up as rest sheds for them as well as gig workers. The sheds will have cooling facilities in summer and act as shelters during the rainy season. In winter, their use may be reduced, but they will remain operational,” Babu explained.
The sheds are designed not as dormitories but as practical pauses along long routes. Inside, they feature only sitting arrangements with reclining seats. “The structure is simple, clean, and dependable. It is a place to drink water, cool down, and wait out a sudden downpour,” the official added.
Benefits for Sanitation Workers
For the sanitation workforce, instead of gathering at exposed corners, workers can check in under one roof, receive instructions, and begin work after a few minutes of rest. The same door will remain open for gig workers who need a safe stop between orders, BMC officials said.
The outer front portion of each shed can be used as a parking lot for two-wheelers.
Future Plans
The BMC is now searching for suitable spaces in all 67 wards to build permanent rest sheds, aiming to enhance comfort and safety for these essential workers.
