KAKINADA: Eat Street, started as part of the Smart City project in Kakinada, has lost its charm among people. Vendors of the street are unhappy due to lack of basic amenities, whether drinking water, toilets, drainage and lighting, among others.
When the Smart City Corporation (SCC) proposed the Eat Street concept for Kakinada with Swapnil Dinkar Pundkar as its commissioner in 2022, people imagined it would be as successful as eat streets in other cities. Kakinada city authorities moved vendors from different areas to Eat Street with 65 shops.
Authorities allotted its maintenance to a contractor for ₹3,99,999 per annum for three years. Besides, ₹1,000 per sq. feet had been fixed as rent for vendors.
After the NDA alliance government came to power, the Smart City Corporation allotted the maintenance to a new contractor for ₹13 lakh per annum. It is proposed to increase the rent charges of vendors. Some of the vendors have stopped opening their stalls, unable to pay the huge rent.
“Already, the news contractor has asked us to increase the rent. But we have opposed it. If we have business, we can pay the prescribed rent. Otherwise, how could we pay such fee? Moreover, the contractor is not offering us any facilities, including drinking water and toilets,” said a vendor of Eat Street.
He said that previously, when they sold food items alongside roads in a push cart, they paid only ₹50 to ₹100. He questioned why they should pay higher amounts when no basic amenities have been created for the past two years.
Kakinada Poura Samkshema Sangham convener Dusarlapudi Ramana Raju observed that the location of Eat Street in Kakinada itself is wrong. There is a lot of traffic at the place and many vehicles, including RTC and private buses, pass through the area. The pollution is discouraging people from visiting Eat Street, as the food they eat could harm them.
Ramana Raju suggested that Smart City and civic body officials should instead locate the Eat Street behind McLaren High School ground or the Old District Medical and Health Office ground. Food enthusiasts can then have their food and snacks in a better atmosphere.
He wanted authorities – civic body or Smart City – to fix a rent of ₹50 to ₹100 depending on the length of the outlet. “Otherwise, the vendors will be exploited by the contractor,” he remarked.
