Ahmedabad's favourite new hangout, the Kankaria lakefront, is serving an experience that is delightfully different from its old offerings; the lakefront now has 40 uniformly designed food stalls dishing out hygienically prepared food in disposable plates! And do not be surprised by laariwallas' newfound efficiency and courtesy: they have been given a crash course in the hospitality business at a hotel management school.
The picture stands as a palatable contrast to the earlier reality, when a chaotic string of laaris around the Kankaria lake sold food in unwholesome conditions.
The transition, ushered in by the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC)'s Kankaria Lakefront Development project, is an example of effective rehabilitation of hawkers under urban development projects.
In fact, the AMC also played the role of a mediator between 40 laariwalas and banks to help each retooled entrepreneur secure a loan of Rs2 lakh, subsidised by 10-15%, to set up the food stalls. These laariwallas used to run their businesses from outside the Kankaria lake. But because of the AMC's efforts, they have found a settled place inside the lake premises.
Municipal commissioner IP Gautam said the model represented one of the better paradigms of rehabilitating hawkers. "Initially it was difficult to persuade them to come on board," Gautam said. "But in the end, they trusted me and we have tried to help them."
Vyas Nitesh, who runs a pav bhaji stall with his father on the lake premises, said that the AMC has given entry passes to the food vendors. "The best part of this initiative is that we got training from the Indian Institute of Hotel Management and District Industries Centre." Nitesh said. "They taught us to use fresh vegetables, maintain hygiene, and show discipline while attending to customers." The AMC subjects the hawkers to regular health checkups and monitors the quality of food.
The AMC has allotted the standardised stalls under a license against payment of a fee of Rs2,000 per quarter.
