Proposal to establish street food hub on VOC road shelved

The Food Safety and Drug Administration Department has shelved a proposal to set up a clean street food hub on VOC Road in Tiruchi, an initative to improve the quality of food being sold at roadside eateries and their hygiene.

As part of Food Safety and Standards Authority of India’s nationwide project to improve the infrastructure of street food hubs, the Food Safety Department in Tiruchi chose Chathiram Bus Stand to establish the city’s first street food hub by integrating the roadside food stalls and pushcarts food stalls.

But, the officials dropped the plan since the vendors were scattered around the bus stand and decided to set up the hub on V.O.C. Road, which had a row of roadside eateries aimed at attracting outbound passengers from Tiruchi Central Bus Stand., about six years ago.

The Department thereafter carried out a survey on roadside eateries around the bus stand and their owners and workers. A section of them was given training on the importance of ensuring the use of quality ingredients in the preparation of food, enhancing the personal hygiene of cooks and suppliers and preparation of food in a clean and hygienic environment, among others.

It also roped in a few sponsors to provide uniformed glass covered pushcarts, supply of Reverse Osmosis water, proper lighting and safe disposal bins. It approached Tiruchi Corporation to jointly implement the scheme. However, it is said the Corporation did not evince interest to establish the street food hub on VOC road, citing encroachment of public space in the close vicinity of Central Bus Stand.

A senior official of the Food Safety and Drug Administration Department told The Hindu that the street food hub proposal on VOC road had been dropped. However, the department would mount vigil on street food stalls to improve the cleanliness and hygiene at the stalls. Frequent checking would be carried out on quality of food, oil, water, among other things. All of them had been instructed to operate shops only after getting licence.

The official added that a few other locations were being explored to set up street food hub in the city. The Corporation had mooted a proposal to set up a hub in the close vicinity of Uzhavar Sandhai.

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Published - September 25, 2024 07:15 pm IST