Amid growing concerns over unauthorised commercial activity in residential areas, a new category of establishments is increasingly drawing attention – cloud kitchens operating from houses and apartment buildings across Bhubaneswar and Cuttack. With the twin cities witnessing a surge in office-goers, students and app-based food delivery services, hundreds of home-based and commercial kitchens have mushroomed in residential areas over the past few years.While these facilities have helped meet the demand for quick food delivery, concerns are mounting over their operation in congested neighbourhoods, often without adequate parking, ventilation and fire safety arrangements.The issue gains significance in the backdrop of the recent Supreme Court observations against the commercial use of residential properties and the court’s direction to authorities to identify buildings used for purposes other than they are sanctioned for. “Unlike restaurants, cloud kitchens remain largely invisible because they have no dining space. A residential building can effectively function as a commercial food production unit handling hundreds of orders daily,” urban planner Piyush Ranjan Rout said.Fire safety officials warn that the risks are amplified when large-scale cooking operations are carried out in densely populated residential areas. “Commercial cooking involves continuous use of LPG and proper exhaust systems,” a fire services official said.He added that if proper fire safety protocols are absent, the consequences can be devastating, especially in colonies with narrow access roads that can hinder emergency response. “It is a dangerous situation,” the official added.According to urban development observers, many cloud kitchens function from buildings originally approved for residential use. If authorities enforce, such establishments could come under scrutiny for change of land use, trade licensing and safety compliance.A senior civic body official, requesting anonymity, said authorities are aware of the growing trend. “Cloud kitchens are part of the evolving urban economy, but commercial activity has to comply with building regulations, land-use norms and safety requirements,” he said.Food entrepreneurs, however, argue that cloud kitchens have become an essential part of the urban service economy, especially after the rapid growth of app-based food delivery platforms.“The sector has generated employment and encouraged small businesses. There should be a regulatory framework rather than a blanket crackdown,” Namita Das, owner of a cloud kitchen, said.“No one is opposing entrepreneurship, but when commercial kitchens operate in densely packed residential colonies, the authorities must ensure that safety standards are being followed,” Raghuram Jena, member of a residents’ welfare association, said.
