Bhuabaneswar, Oct 24: Following the recent fire outbreak at the Unit-1 Market, the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) has decided to tighten market management and safety measures across the city. Mayor Sulochana Das announced that the civic body will soon introduce a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for 20 major markets in the capital.

Bhubaneswar houses over 20 large and bustling markets, including Unit-1, Unit-2, and Unit-4. Prominent among them are the Sahid Nagar, Siripur, VSS Nagar, Rasulgarh Kochilei Haat, Nageswar Tangi, and Damana markets. However, most of these remain unorganized and poorly managed, leading to frequent disputes during market elections and issues of illegal encroachment.

To bring better regulation, BMC has decided that during market elections, a nodal officer from the corporation will oversee the process to ensure free and fair voting. Encroachments that block vehicle movement, especially during emergencies, will be removed through intensified enforcement drives.

Additionally, BMC will ban the use of makeshift stalls and illegal vending spaces within market premises. Zonal commissioners have been instructed to monitor these activities closely.

Several key markets, including Bhawani Mall, Panchadeep Market, and Unit-1, fall under BMC’s control, while others like Priyadarshini Market (CRP Square), Indradhanu Market, Sundarpada Haat, and Patia Market operate under the Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA). Despite generating crores of rupees in revenue, these markets have seen little development over the years.

Taking lessons from the Unit-1 fire mishap, BMC has now sought detailed reports on the number of government and private markets across all three city zones to strengthen safety and governance mechanisms.