BHUBANESWAR: A day after an Air Asia flight made emergency landing at Biju Patnaik International Airport (BPIA) due to suspected bird hit, the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) launched a massive enforcement drive evicting over 110 fish and poultry sellers and street food vendors from near the airport boundary close to City Women’s College.
BMC commissioner Vijay Amruta Kulange said the eviction drive will be carried out around roads and streets surrounding the airport boundary to check unauthorised vending of food and non-vegetarian items. “Non-vegetarian market, eateries or any kind of vending kiosk along the airport boundary that may attract birds to the area will be seized,” Kulange said.
He said squads will patrol the roads regularly and seize the unauthorised vending kiosks. The commissioner said after the last security meeting, a BMC team had inspected the area and removed the non-vegetarian market, eateries and food joints. The encroachers, however, occupied the place again prompting the civic body to re-launch the eviction drive.
At least 60 fish and poultry shops and 50 eateries and food joints were removed during the eviction drive taken up in two phases in the morning and evening. “The eviction drive around the airport boundary will continue till all such shops that attract birds, increasing the risk of bird hit during flight services at the airport, are removed,” said an official.