Urban News

For the residents of southern sectors, the wait for a food street seems to be getting longer by the day. Even as the foundation for the food street in Sector 48 was laid in December last year, construction on the site is yet to start.

The Corporation has floated tenders for construction work a number of times, but without much success as the response to the tenders has been anything, but encouraging. The Food Street was proposed in the sector keeping in view the density of population with a large number of residential societies, coupled with the lack of such facilities available in the southern sectors.

Besides the foundation stone at the site, there is nothing else to show for construction. Work on the food street had earlier been delayed as the designs for the same had not been approved. Once the designs were approved, the civic body started the process of e-tendering, following which the which floating of tenders were delayed.

Chief Engineer S S Bidda, meanwhile, said the tenders have been reinvited and the response would be gauged in the coming few days. “At times, it does happen that positive response is not received the first time a tender is floated. We are hopeful that work on the site would start soon,” said the chief engineer.

The civic body had proposed food streets at three places in the city after the Night Food Street near PGI received a positive response from residents.  Even as work was to start in Sector 48 first, there was delay for several months after the foundation stone was laid.

The delay in the construction of the Night Food Street, say sources, was due to the wrong policies of the Municipal Corporation. The policies of the civic body have, however, been revised now. The proposed food street would be open throughout the day. Modifications have been made in the designs for the upcoming food streets, which would make it different from the existing Night Food Street near the PGI, it is learnt.