October 8
Because of the traffic problems caused by illegal parking on major thoroughfares, the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) has issued stringent regulations for roadside eateries within its jurisdiction.
It has asked the food outlets running their business on the roadside to keep space for parking vehicles.
BMC stated, “A great number of food outlets are doing their business on the roadside without having sufficient parking facilities and sanitation protocols. Their customers are used to parking their vehicles on the road and eating there causing heavy sanitation hazards and traffic congestion, which is posing problems for the local people and the commuters.”
All the vendors of all roadside food outlets and their vendor’s associations are hereby directed to abide by the following conditions:
- No food outlet should be on the road, footpath, or over drains.
- Food outlets having no sufficient parking space for vehicles of customers should not serve food items on the spot. They should opt for Take-home food or online delivery of their food items only.
- The food outlets having required parking space have to follow the sanitation protocols of BMC and keep twin dustbins in their shops, store garbage in a segregated way and handover to the door collection vehicle, and clean within 5 meters radius of their outlet by themselves.
- The food outlet workers are to wear a clean dress and good attire, such as Head Cap, Clean Apron, Hand Gloves, and Face Mask, etc., and hygienically serve the food.
- The food outlet has to obey and ensure all principles of food safety.
- No food outlet is allowed to do business in locations designated as “No Vending Zone” by BMC.
Any deviation from these instructions will be viewed seriously and BMC will take all measures to impose a fine and close the shop with the cancellation of the trade license and seizer of the vehicles illegally parked on the road for such, the BMC warned.
