Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation Creates Special Zone for Popular Street Food
In a significant move to address traffic congestion and organize street vending, the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) has announced the creation of a dedicated 'gupchup corner' near the Regional Institute of Education in Acharya Vihar. This innovative initiative aims to relocate the scattered gupchup vendors from Saheed Nagar, where their presence often causes crowding, illegal parking, and disrupts smooth traffic flow.
Strategic Location and Infrastructure Development
The civic body has identified a specific patch of land near the Regional Science College for this purpose. BMC mayor Sulochana Das confirmed that the area has already been demarcated and cleaned thoroughly. The corporation is also ensuring that proper water connections will be made available at the site to facilitate the vendors' business operations.
The new vending hub will feature comprehensive amenities including dedicated parking space, proper illumination, and specific business hours to ensure smooth management of the area. This organized approach marks a departure from the current scenario where vendors operate in scattered locations without proper facilities.
Balancing Livelihood and Urban Order
Mayor Das emphasized that the gupchup corner initiative represents a careful balance between supporting livelihoods and maintaining city order. Initially, 30 vendors will be allotted space at the new location, with plans to accommodate more vendors in phased implementations. The approach is not about displacing vendors but rather providing them with a clean, safe, and organized environment to continue their businesses.
This relocation strategy is expected to yield multiple benefits - maintaining better hygiene standards for the popular street food while significantly easing congestion in busy areas like Saheed Nagar. The organized setup will also make it easier for customers to access their favorite snacks without contributing to traffic problems.
Enhanced Hygiene and Safety Protocols
To ensure food safety and promote better hygiene practices, the BMC will enforce strict rules for all vendors operating at the gupchup corner. Mandatory use of gloves, aprons, and head caps will be required while serving food to customers. The civic body has also committed to ensuring regular sanitation and proper waste management at the site to maintain cleanliness standards.
The gupchup corner is expected to become operational within a month, providing a model for how Indian cities can better integrate street food culture with urban planning and management. This initiative could potentially serve as a blueprint for similar vending zones for other popular street foods across Bhubaneswar and other Indian cities facing similar challenges.
