Fast growing food stalls occupying roads, footpaths trigger issues like preparing food in unhygienic environs, littering leftover food, other wastes, unsafe spots, no compulsion on abiding by regulations, normally followed by restaurateurs; two dedicated Food Streets built by MCC awaits vendors.

The mushrooming of fast food joints and chat centres in the city go on unchecked, marring the visual beauty of the city, what with the unkempt surroundings with the plastic plates and other wastes littered on the footpaths.

Even though the Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) has built exclusive Food Streets to provide space for mobile fast food stalls under one roof, they remain unoccupied, with the food vendors reluctant to shift to a new place.

The fast food vendors have been encroaching upon the footpath space to run their business, through the modified vans, snatching the space meant for pedestrians. The smooth traffic flow on the prominent roads in the city are also affected, with the customers parking their vehicles on the road. The instances of vehicles meeting with accidents are also aplenty.

Food Streets were built by MCC near Ballal Circle (Ashoka Circle) and Udayagiri, but it has been more than a year since the works were completed, there are no takers for this MCC facility. The stalls in the Food Streets have been covered by sheet on the top, with adequate lighting facility. MCC is befuddled, as to why the fast food vendors are coyly towards making use of the full-fledged facility.

Moreover, the MCC has not taken any stringent measures, mandating the fast food vendors to conduct their business only in Food Street. Hence, several hundreds of fast food vendors continue to run the show, at the corners of the roads or the footpath, caring a hoot for the regulations.

Some have turned the footpaths into al fresco, creating a perfect environ for the foodies to savour delicacies of their choice, enjoying the restaurant like ambience. However, it comes at the cost of pedestrians, with the tables and chairs arranged, coolly encroaching upon the footpath space.

While it is common to find the vegetarian food stalls all over, the stalls with non-vegetarian menu, near the popular tourist spots in the city, raise doubts over the efficacy of the authorities concerned, over issuing restrictions on what to be sold and not, in the public. The officials come out with a lame excuse, attributing their inexplicable

situation to the Court-imposed stay order, restraining them from initiating any action against errant fast food joints. The moot question here is — does MCC lack efficient Lawyers in its panel to vacate the stay order at least.

Unlike hotels and restaurants, the fast food joints have to neither pay tax, rent, water or electricity charges and most importantly, there is no binding of obtaining the trade licence. They are least bothered about abiding by certain norms, but rake in enough moolah in the form of profit.

The price is also not pocket-friendly, with a plate of Masal Dosa sold in the range of Rs. 40-Rs. 60, Set Dosa – Rs. 40, Open Dosa – Rs. 40, plate of two idlis – Rs. 30, Poori – Rs. 40, vegetable pulav/ rice bath – Rs. 40 etc. The used plates discarded in bins are sometimes left uncleared, prompting MCC Pourakarmikas to clear them during their morning duty following day.

While some look for a secured place to park their mobile canteens, in the interest of their safety and also of the customers, some are blatantly negligent and settle under high-tension electricity line, busy junctions and even residential areas, with the complaints in this regard going unheard.

The footpath vendors must be evicted and shifted to the Food Street on priority. The food prepared here lack hygiene, but the rates at some food stalls are even higher than the restaurants. Following the disposal of left over food at the same spot, the rotten food emanate stench. The hoteliers have to pay Goods and Services Tax (GST), trade licence, electricity and water charges, but the fast food vendors have no such regulations. The authorities should ponder over the issue and clear the footpath vendors.  —C. Narayanagowda, President, Mysuru District Hotel Owners Association