HYDERABAD: The yet-to-be-inaugurated street food vending zone near Nice Hospital in Mallepally is reportedly being used to consume alcohol by addicts living in the vicinity. The drunk persons then break into the kiosks and spend the night drinking and other alleged illegal activities.
Apart from that, the newly-built concrete benches and tables along the vending zone have been uprooted and damaged. The newly laid footpaths on the stretch by the private cable agencies for the laying of underground cables have also been damaged.
Built by the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) at a cost of Rs 85 lakh, the food vending zone was developed in an area that was previously used as an illegal dumping site by the residents. Passersby would also use the space for open urination. However, the space was developed under the Telangana Mission for Elimination of Poverty in Municipal Areas (TMEPMA) as part of the Pattana Pragathi (PP).
GHMC officials told Express that the issue of the vandalisation of tables and benches and of the alcoholics drinking liquor at night has come to their notice. To prevent it, they are fixing the street lights in the vicinity and are going to install CCTV cameras within a week, which will be connected to the command and control centre of Hyderabad City Police, they added.