Ranchi: The Ranchi Municipal Corporation (RMC) has proposed a night market near Karamtoli pond even as two similar projects announced earlier are yet to become fully operational.The new market will come up on a four-acre plot near Karamtoli Chowk and will be developed with a private partner. The proposal was approved at RMC’s third board meeting on Thursday. Officials said the location could attract visitors while providing vendors with an organised space to operate at night.However, RMC’s first clean street food zone, planned near Jaipal Singh Munda Stadium, is still awaiting its formal opening.The project received Rs 1 crore from the Union health ministry under a central scheme to create clean and organised street food hubs. Food safety regulator FSSAI will monitor hygiene standards at the market.The pedestrian-only food zone will cover a 700-800-metre stretch connecting the stadium, Rabindra Bhawan and Atal Vendor Market. It will have space for around 30 vending vans, besides seating areas, sheds, toilets and streetlights.Vendors will have to undergo food safety training and obtain an FSSAI licence before being allotted space.“Work on the infrastructure near the stadium has been completed and the allotment process will begin now. The Morabadi night market is under construction following the anti-encroachment drives,” additional municipal commissioner Sanjay Kumar said.The Morabadi night market has faced a longer delay. Developed last year as part of the Zone-2 vending market and Morabadi beautification project, it could not become fully functional. The space was used mainly for parking and public seating instead of operating as a dedicated vending zone.The Rs 4.8-crore project also included a 2-km cycle track around Morabadi ground. While parts of the track were completed, the vending zone failed to attract the commercial activity originally planned.The delays at the stadium and Morabadi sites have raised questions over RMC’s decision to plan another night market.
