The Pune Municipal Corporation’s (PMC) recent proposition to introduce “Khau Galli” or food plazas at four locations within the city has triggered debates over potential traffic congestion and sanitation worries. The proposal aims to address the increasing presence of food stalls on major streets, disrupting traffic flow and leading to unsanitary conditions.
Challenges and Background: The surge in street food vendors prompted PMC’s Encroachment Department to consider designated food plazas as a solution. Despite existing hawker policies prohibiting street cooking and endorsing only the sale of prepared food, lax enforcement has allowed unauthorized stalls to proliferate. Major roads like Satara Road, Shivaji Road, Sinhagad Road, and Karve Road have become hotspots for both official and unauthorized food stalls, causing roadblocks and pedestrian inconveniences.
Proposed Khau Galli Locations: The proposed Khau Galli locations include the stretch from Fun Time Multiplex on Sinhagad Road to the Rajiv Gandhi Zoological Museum in Nanded City and Gunjan Chowk to Shastri Nagar Chowk in Yerawada. However, concerns have been raised about potential traffic congestion and the impact on existing pedestrian infrastructure.
Traffic Congestion and Sanitation Concerns: Pune grapples with significant traffic congestion issues, and the addition of more food plazas raises fears of exacerbating the problem. Moreover, there is apprehension about inadequate planning for wet waste disposal generated by food vendors, leading to indiscriminate dumping in open spaces, rainwater chambers, and road dividers.
Ashit Jadhav, Executive Engineer of the Encroachment Department, mentioned, “Permission has been sought from the road department. If granted, facilities will be made available for food vendors.” However, Aniruddha Pawaskar, Chief Engineer (Road), stressed the importance of site inspections to assess the potential impact on roads and footpaths.
The controversy over the “Khau Galli” plan underscores the need for a comprehensive and well-thought-out approach to balance the cultural significance of street food with the imperative for organized urban planning.
