Bhubaneswar: In the wake of yesterday's fire mishap at Bhubaneswar’s Unit-1 market, which gutted around 40 shops and caused heavy losses, the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) has decided to implement new Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for haats in the city for better regulation and safety.

BMC Mayor Sulochana Das said the SOPs will be enforced in 20 major haats of the capital city to ensure systematic functioning and prevent such incidents in the future. Every market committee will undergo a formal election process to be conducted in the presence of BMC officials.

The civic body has also decided to introduce group insurance coverage for all shopkeepers operating in these haats. The BMC will tighten enforcement activities, restricting traders from using polythene sheets.

The Fire Mishap

Notably, a major fire broke out at Bhubaneswar’s largest marketplace, Unit-1 Haat, destroying around 40 shops and causing property loss worth crores of rupees on Wednesday.

The blaze reportedly started around 2:40 PM in one of the grocery shops and quickly spread to nearby stores due to the presence of inflammable materials. Dense smoke and intense flames engulfed a major portion of the market, triggering panic among traders and customers.

On receiving information, fire tenders rushed to the spot and began operations on a war footing. Over 140 firefighters and 15 fire engines were deployed to control the blaze. They battled the flames for nearly half an hour before bringing the situation under control.

Traders at the market expressed deep anguish over the massive loss of goods and infrastructure, many of which were completely reduced to ashes.

Also read: Fire Breaks Out at Bhubaneswar Unit-I Market, Several Shops Gutted.