Vijayawada to get street food hubs soon

Vijayawada: Vijayawada may soon get organised street food hubs equipped with CCTV surveillance, drinking water, washrooms and proper waste management facilities, with civic authorities identifying key locations across the city under the Centre’s PMSVANidhi scheme.According to VMC estate officer A Sridhar, three locations are currently under consideration as part of the proposal, which is still in the planning stage. One of the proposed hubs is near the Government General Hospital in Vijayawada, where officials said the site was identified owing to heavy public footfall. Sridhar said local public representatives, including Vijayawada MP Kesineni Chinni and MLA Gadde Ramamohan, have agreed in principle to establishing a food hub in the area.Officials are also planning two food hubs as part of a long-term riverfront development vision along the Krishna river, while another proposed location is in Bhavanipuram, where town planning authorities are in the process of finalising a suitable site.Sridhar said the food hubs are being planned to provide designated vending spaces for street food vendors, particularly those operating on footpaths and other encroached stretches. Unlike conventional commercial spaces, vendors would not be charged rent, he said, adding that only an annual licence renewal fee of Rs 200 would apply. “The locations are being identified mainly based on public footfall and accessibility,” he said.The proposed hubs are expected to feature CCTV surveillance, separate washrooms, drinking water, lighting, parking and traffic management measures. VMC officials also plan to handle waste segregation and sanitation through dedicated civic monitoring systems. Officials said the Street Vending Committee would oversee functioning and monitoring of the hubs once developed.While the Centre has already sanctioned funds under PMSVANidhi for the identified component, officials said site identification and proposal finalisation are still underway. No official timeline or project cost has been announced so far.If implemented, the initiative could mark a shift from unregulated roadside vending towards organised food spaces aimed at improving hygiene, convenience and urban management in Vijayawada.