Street-food set to lose flavour
Delhi boasts of its time-honoured street-food culture. These are a treat for tourists visiting the city, as they take along the memories of these remarkable street-side eateries unique to the city. Also, chola kulchas and spicy chaats have been daily meals for thousands of people working here.
But now the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has cracked down on street vendors selling food items near the Games venues and certain market areas. They are calling it a drive aimed at promoting hygiene. Many vendors are upset as their bread and butter is at stake, however, food enthusiasts say that street-food should be enjoyed at one’s own risk or by introducing, a “safe option”.
“Rather than banning them completely, it will be okay if the MCD makes them more customer-friendly by introducing hygiene. The beauty of street food is that it is readily available on the streets, and the way it is prepared. Introducing a health element is fine, but that should not take away its natural flavour,” says Niti Prasad, a Delhi-based professional.
Even scores of foreigners take pleasure in visiting dingy food-joints at places like Chandni Chowk and Paharganj. “They just simply love the way delicacies are prepared right in front of them,” she adds.
“The way street food is prepared in Delhi is something one can’t even think of anywhere else in the world. We got to know that they have been preparing it like this for ages. So, we don’t see a need to worry,” says Paula Johnes, an Australian tourist, who has been enjoying food-walks in Old Delhi.
Jagat Ram, 53, who sells pani puri in Lajpat Nagar market, says, “We have been serving pani puri for so many years and haven’t received any complaints. In fact, I have regular customers, who enjoy pani puri here. If I shutdown, I won’t have anything else to do and will have to go back to my village,” he says.
“And around one lakh vendors will be affected by this latest MCD move. As of now 15,000 people have already been evicted, and most of them have returned home,” says Mukut Sharma of National Association of Street Vendors of India. “Making better provisions for the disposal and maintenance the vendors would have been a welcome step rather than evicting them,” he adds.
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