Vending zones under construction along the boundary wall of SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack. Picture by Badrika Nath Das

Cuttack, Sept. 11: The Cuttack Municipal Corporation’s plan to set up a vending zone near SCB Medical College and Hospital has run into legal trouble. The civic body had decided to set up shops along the hospital’s western boundary wall at Mangalabag.

The Orissa High Court has ordered for termination of the project after receiving a report from the traffic management committee on the feasibility of the project. The HC had constituted the committee for Cuttack city.

“The road from Mangalabag Square to Bhubanananda Orissa School of Engineering is not a feasible option for a vending zone plan,” the report stated. The civic body had planned to set up the vending zone to rehabilitate roadside vendors whose shops had encroached upon vehicular passage on the busy SCB Medical Road.

In the first phase, 80 shops were constructed on the right side of the hospital’s main gate (towards Bhubanananda Orissa School of Engineering). Construction of shops on the left side (towards Mangalabag Square) were planned to be taken up in the second phase.

Traffic management committee member P.K. Panda said: “Taking note of the report, the division bench of Justice B.P. Das and Justice M.M. Das has ordered for demolition of the constructions for the vending zone near the hospital.”

The committee was asked to submit a report after residents of Mangalabag raised objections to the project because of the location of the proposed vending zone. The report was submitted on the basis of an on-the-spot survey of the vending zone under construction near the hospital by a sub-committee having as members, among others, CMC commissioner V.V. Swamy, and deputy commissioner of police (Cuttack) Pravin Kumar. Construction of shops in the vending zone had been undertaken on a drain along the hospital’s boundary wall.

“If the construction is allowed, dumped garbage and other solid waste will choke the drain, creating an unhygienic atmosphere. An artificial flood-like situation might get created in nearby areas if the drain gets choked,” the committee stated, while also warning of an increase in mosquito menace.

Mayor Saumendra Ghosh said: “We will abide by the high court order and scout for an alternative location soon.”

Mangalabag Puja Committee president Baisnab Sahu said: “We are not opposed to a vending zone in the area. But, we had opposed it as it was being set up on the drain.”