Bhubaneswar, Oct 16: With an aim to upgrade cycling infrastructure to ensure citizens must feel safe and secure while cycling, the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Friday started a massive enforcement activity on some of busy thoroughfares and streets of the capital city to clear encroachments and freeing footpath and cycle tracks from the clutches of street vendors.

The Central Joint Enforcement Squad comprising the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation, Bhubaneswar Development Authority and along with the Commissionerate Police started clearing encroachments at AG Square, Sishu Bhawan, Rajmahal Square and roads near Indira Gandhi Park to create space of cycle track.

On the first day of eviction drive, the special squad removed around 10 unauthorized vendors (trolleys), roadside cabins, tiffin centers which attract huge crowd resulting in movement restriction of pedestrians and cyclists. Besides, the Squad also imposed fine of Rs 5200 om some shop keepers for occupying and dumping construction materials on cycle tracks at Bapuji Nagar in South East Zone of the Civic Body.

In South West Zone, the enforcement squad also cracked down on five fruit selling trollies, one car and one pollution testing vehicle occupying footpath and cycle tracks. A fine of Rs 5000 was collected from people for dumping construction debris on the cycle tracks.

Similarly, the joint squad also carried out an encroachment eviction drive on Airport-Patia stretch to remove unauthorized and illegal shops occupying footpaths and cycle tracks.

“Strict encroachment eviction drive will be continued to free the cycle track and footpath to make ensure that pedestrians and cyclists shouldn’t face any difficulties while using the roads,” said BMC Commissioner-cum-BSCL Chief Executive Officer, Prem Chandra Chaudhary.