Food street hungry for speed

Famed ‘thindi beedi’ on V V Puram was to be renovated by April

In 2022, the BBMP had set aside a budget of Rs 6 crore to renovate the VV Puram food street. It was to resemble Church Street, with pedestrian friendly streets.

The street draws locals and tourists for its tasty food. It was to get cobblestone pavements, seating and drainage.

The renovation was to be done within four months, by April, according to a BBMP proposal presented in December 2022. But work is still in progress, with the road dug up and pipes lying around.

Manikant Gupta, president of the Food Street Vendors Association say the rain and the election season contributed to the delays.

The shops are allowed to open only at 6 pm now, to make way for the makeover work. “Earlier I would open at 4 pm. Now that is two hours of sales lost,” a roti vendor says.

Ravishankar, who owns a gulkand and snacks shop, says, “There used to be fewer workers because the contractors handle various renovation projects all over the city, but now there are more.”

“I believe BBMP is trying its best,” says Ambika Virupaksha of Sai Foods.

‘Ready by July 15’

“The renovation has been delayed due to unavoidable circumstances like the elections but we aim to get it done by July 15,” said Jairam Rajpura, BBMP zonal commissioner (South).