Trichy: Trichittes will soon have a ‘clean street food hub’ with the food safety department working on converting a stretch of VOC Road behind the Central bus stand into one.
Under the permanent project of Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), the food safety and drug administration department has identified VOC Road as a potential hub for the project.
According to FSSAI, the initiative will help upgrade food streets and build trust among consumers to have a safe and hygienic local eating experience. Most people avoid the roadside eateries only because of its unhygienic conditions. FSSAI also believes that it will make the local food popular among the domestic and international tourists visiting Trichy.
"Roadside eateries along the VOC Road could be an ideal choice for implementing the project. Hence, we have chosen the place and started working on it before rolling out the scheme in a month," designated officer (DO) of the department in Trichy Dr R Chithra told ToI on Tuesday adding that the project will be extended to all the 17 blocks under its department in Trichy.
Food safety officers and outsourced private agencies will guide 25 vendors in the stretch to maintain their roadside eateries clean and hygiene. The eateries run by around 75 vendors in three shifts for breakfast from 5 am to 12 pm, lunch from 12 pm to 5 pm and dinner from 6 pm to 12 pm remain popular among the travellers visiting Trichy Central bus stand.
With a slew of guidelines for the location, personal hygiene, solid waste management and several other aspects, the stretch could become a model for all the roadside eateries if they comply with the guidelines. "Our duty is to ensure that the guidelines laid down are being followed by the eateries. Food safety officers will monitor them regularly and sort out discrepancies, if any," said Chithra.
Before the commencement of the project, an agency will conduct an audit in the stretch to check the criteria following which permissions may be granted to the food safety department to have the hub in the area.
Welcoming the move, Trichy District Pushcarts Vendors Association district president R Ganesan said the food safety department should set up a toilet facility for both the workers and the customers besides providing continuous water. "We request the corporation to also maintain cleanliness in the stretch," said Ganesan.
Social worker in Trichy Paul Guna Loganath said that though it is a welcome move in terms of food safety, it will be a hindrance to the buses entering the Central bus stand. "Hygiene of most of the roadside eateries is questionable. The food safety hub could bring about a good change," he said.
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