BHUBANESWAR: The vending zone system in Bhubaneswar, it seems, has caught the fancy of the Bihar government. A K Singh, under secretary and Director of Housing and Urban Development Department, Bihar, visited the city on Thursday to gain first hand knowledge of the measures adopted by the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) to streamline street vending.
His visit is a sequel to a recent conclave held in Patna where the BMC, along with some other civic bodies and urban development agencies from southern and eastern states of the country, assembled to discuss vending zone policies.
“The Patna High Court recently asked the Bihar government to set up vending zones in Patna. At the seminar, we learnt that the BMC has set an example by rehabilitating street vendors in an organized manner. The government deputed me to learn the vending zone policy in Bhubaneswar,” Singh told.
He said he was impressed with what he saw. “I also had a word with some of the vendors,” he said.
Sources said the vending zone policy here drew national attention in the past as well. In January last year, civic administrators from West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Maharashtra came to the city to study the vending zones here.
“Credit goes to BMC as we have become role models for others to emulate. Other developmental works initiated by BMC have also earned a pat,” said BMC public relations officer, Dilip Routrai.
Nearly 2,500 vendors were accommodated in nearly 45 vending zones after the first such zone came up at Sishu Bhavan Square in December 2006. Sources said there are over 22,000 roadside vendors in the city.
Recently BMC razed a couple of authorized vending zones near Sishu Bhavan Square and Rajmahal Square for road expansion.
A few more vending zones are likely to be demolished for city beautification.
The demolitions had earned the civic body much flak as vendors had alleged the authorities lacked foresight and should have made proper plans before setting up vending zones.
Source:TOI