Night market eateries to provide only take-aways
PRAYAGRAJ : The open night market in Prayagraj, stretching from Dhobhighat crossing to near Maharana Pratap crossing will now provide only take-away service from 100-odd roadside eateries.
The Prayagrag Nagar Nigam (PNN) has taken this decision keeping in mind the crowd that gathered on the stretch of road and violate social distancing norms and other guidelines.
These roadside eateries do not have proper infrastructure so the customers have no other option but to eat standing near the shops.
“We have seen that the shopkeepers have made it a practice to deliver food items to customers sitting in cars or bikes and no one cares to follow social distancing or other norms in the present corona crisis. Thus, we have decided that these shopkeepers would serve only packed food and give it to the customers who would not be consuming the same at the market”, said additional municipal commissioner Mushir Ahmad.
Officials inform that under the Smart City project, the concept of night market on this stretch of road was introduced by the authorities. The tender was floated, twice, but there were no bids.
In the meantime, the roadside vendors selling fast-food in various localities of the city were displaced by the anti-encroachment drives. The district administration came out with the idea that they may be permitted to earn their bread and butter at the empty space of this night market. However, since past three months, there has been a sudden surge in number of customers at this market, especially the office goers and youths who can be spotted standing at their bikes and cars enjoying the preparations.
With the popularity of the night market growing, the norm of social distancing was openly flouted at this market. In this backdrop, the authorities have decided to introduce only takeaway service at this market.