Karimnagar: Night life won’t be the same in Karimnagar anymore, with the Karimnagar Municipal Corporation deciding to spice up things a bit with night food courts in the town.
Though Karimnagar town is being developed on all fronts as part of the Smart City programme, night life was near to non-existent in the city. If people came out at night during the weekends and holidays, chances were that they would find no eateries since all business establishments were pulling the shutters down by 10 pm. Now, to change this and to inject some life into the nights, corporation authorities have come up with the idea of night food courts. First among these will be a food court near the Satavahana University on the Karimnagar-Mallapur road.
To operate from 6 pm to 11 pm every day, there would be four each of veg and non-vegetarian stalls in the food court. Authorities are contemplating to inaugurate the eatery by the end of August with 40 percent of the works being completed. Similar food courts will be developed in other parts of the town as well.
A footpath right from the main entrance gate of Satavahana University to Sriramnagar Colony Road No.7 is being developed by spending Rs.1 crore. Besides laying tiles, the compound wall of the university was being decked up with colorful paintings. Lighting arrangements too are being made.
Seating arrangements, drinking water facility, a garden with flower bearing trees, a play area for children, washrooms for men and women, vehicle parking and other facilities will be developed. Since the foot court would run in the night time, authorities have decided to set up CCTV cameras to check any untoward incidents.
Speaking to Telangana Today, a private employee, N Janardhan said nowadays, people were giving priority to go out along with family members during the weekends and holidays. Though there were a few recreation centres such as Lower Manair Dam, Ujwala Park, Deer Park and the recently inaugurated cable bridge in the town, visitors were not allowed at these places at night. Moreover, food would not be available there. So, food courts would provide an opportunity for the people to enjoy along with family members during the nights, he said.
The Corporation had in 2021 decided to open night bazaars in the town and had identified three places such as in between Collectorate office to Mamatha Theatre, opposite the bus bay near the multipurpose school park and the SRR Government Degree College road. Permission was to be given to small traders to operate their businesses on four-wheelers and push carts from 9 pm to midnight, with most of these being tiffin centres, eateries and other shops.
Mayor Y Sunil Rao said the food courts to come up now would be part of the night bazaar concept. Based on the response to the food court near Satavahana University, more would be set up in other places, he said, adding that apart from eateries, other business stalls would also be established depending on the response from the public.