Vizag Night Food Vendors’ Stir Enters Day 17, Distress Deepens

The indefinite strike by night food court vendors protesting their displacement entered its 17th day on Friday, with agitators intensifying their protest by staging a ‘Bhikshatana’ demonstration on Old Jail Road to highlight their deepening financial distress.

The vendors said it has been nearly seven months since the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) dismantled the night food court under ‘Operation Life to Urban Green Spaces (LUNGS)’, citing irregularities, and promised to allot alternative shops to eligible beneficiaries within days. They alleged that the delay reflects continued apathy on the part of the civic authorities.

They also claimed that despite being on an indefinite strike for over two weeks, no leaders from the ruling party have visited the site or extended any assurance of resolution.

With the food court serving as their primary source of livelihood, vendors said the prolonged disruption has pushed many into severe financial hardship. Mounting household expenses, they added, have forced them to step up their agitation.

Several vendors said they have been surviving by mortgaging gold and borrowing from private lenders. They expressed concern over their inability to pay house rent and meet their children’s educational expenses for the upcoming academic year.

Night Food Court Association President K. Srikanth said nearly 1,000 people depend directly and indirectly on the food court. Of the 158 stalls that existed earlier, 110 have been identified as genuine beneficiaries by the Urban Community Development (UCD) wing, he noted.

He said the GVMC had proposed container-based stalls under the ‘Smart Street Vending Zones’ initiative, with vendors required to contribute ₹2.5 lakh each through bank loans supported by the corporation. However, the project has yet to take off.

Srikanth added that GVMC officials have recently indicated that an update on the issue is likely by Monday.