Curbs imposed on parking & make-shift stall owners on Puri Badadanda

Puri: With an aim to ensure smooth darshan of devotees, the district administration has put restrictions on parking of vehicles near Puri Srimandir and set up special barricades on the Grand Road (Badadanda).

As per reports, the stretch from Rajanara to Srimandir and the outside circumference of the temple have been declared as no-parking zone. This apart, restrictions have also been imposed on parking of two-wheelers and four-wheelers near the temple.

The district administration has also evicted makeshift stalls near the Grand Road triggering resentment among the locals. Protesting the move, some makeshift stall owners reportedly staged a protest on the Badadanda.

“We don’t know what happened; the Collector had called for a meeting yesterday and our shops were evicted today morning from the Badadanda. How will we be able to sustain ourselves without being rehabilitated,” rued Jasobant Patra, a local makeshift shop owner.

Expressing similar views, another stall owner Basant Kumar Mohapatra said, “We request the administration to provide some space so that we can set up our stall and earn a livelihood.”

In his reaction, Puri Sub-collector Bhabatarana Sahu said the administration took the decision on parking restriction and barring makeshift shop owners only after holding discussions with all the parties.

“To ensure hassle-free darshan, the administration has put up such restrictions. We have received details of the makeshift shops and are currently in talks with those shops' owners before taking further decision in this regard,” Sahu added.