Bhubaneswar: Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Friday allotted 66 disputed smart kiosks to eligible vendors through a lottery, ending a four-year delay in the reopening of shops along Smart Janpath.The kiosks, located between Sishu Bhawan Square and Vani Vihar Square, remained shut since the redevelopment of the corridor after multiple vendors laid claim to them. The prolonged dispute affected business for years even as crores of rupees were spent on building the modern kiosks.BMC officials said the lottery was conducted to ensure fairness in assigning the stalls to vendors found eligible for allotment. The move came after the Orissa high court directed the civic body to consider allotting the kiosks to eligible claimants.“Before Smart Janpath became ready, there were BMC vending zones and rows of shops. It was redeveloped by demolishing the old structures, and the kiosks wore a modern and smart look. The vendors who were already there were given the kiosks, out of which 66 remained disputed as there were many claimants,” said BMC deputy commissioner Ajay Mohanty. “On Friday, lottery was done just to ensure that there is fair play in allotting which stall will be given to whom,” he added.Officials said there are 288 smart kiosks in total on one side of Janpath between Sishu Bhawan Square and Vani Vihar Square. The kiosks house a range of businesses, including book stalls, eateries, and general stores, and have been designed with a uniform appearance as part of the Smart Janpath project.BMC officials said the allotment provided relief to vendors who were waiting for a resolution to the ownership dispute while resuming Janpath hustle bustle along the closed portion.
