Eat Street, one of the most happening places for foodies in Vijayawada, will soon be open till midnight.
Following requests of hoteliers and shopkeeprs of Indira Gandhi Municipal Corporation Stadium complex, the corporation and police officials are considering a change of timings for the food court.
Currently, the food court is open between 8 p.m. and 11 p.m. on IGMC Stadium Road, which had been developed into Eat Street at ₹1.4 crore by the corporation. As per the new proposal, Eat Street will be open for two hours till midnight (from 10 p.m. to 12 p.m.).
Launched in 2015 as a night food court, it used to run between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m.. It was reopened over a year ago after staying shut during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Recently, hoteliers and restaurant owners in the city objected to the timings of the food court as it is impacting their businesses. “Initially, the idea of the food court was to make food available till late into the night to those visiting the city. As Eat Street is opening early, it is affecting our businesses. We approached the officials seeking restoration of the original timings of the food court, and the response was positive,” said Vijayawada Hotel Owners Association president P.V. Ramana.
When contacted, NTR district Commissioner of Police Kanthi Rana Tata said a meeting with all the stakeholders was convened, and it has been decided to change the timings. About 60 food stalls operate at the Eat Street daily, serving a variety of food from mocktails to biryanis.
Meanwhile, the hoteliers have also sought permission to keep restaurants open till midnight.
