It's goodbye to Delhi street food

New Delhi: No fresh tikkis, chat or jalebis for Delhiites. The Supreme Court has imposed a ban on cooking of food items on Delhi pavements.

The court order says food has to be prepared at home and then it could be sold in packages. This means Delhiites will no longer be able relish the famous street food as they used to do before.

The court has, however, permitted preparation of tea and coffee at roadside eating joints, provided it does not result in disposal of any waste. The same must be served in disposable glasses and cups, the court said.

The court also said that the allottees of tehbazari/vending sites will make adequate arrangements for waste disposal of such cups and glasses.

A bench comprising Justices BP Singh and Harjit Singh Bedi also directed the weekly bazars to be held only once a week and that, too, on the day when the local market stays closed.

The court also took a strong view of the encroachments on pavements by taxi stand owners and directed the district magistrate of the area and the SHO concerned to take appropriate actions within a week of receipt of the complaint and if the defiance continues the concerned authorities may cancel the license of the violating taxi stand.

Accepting the schemes prepared by MCD and NDMC for hawkers in the city with some modifications, the Apex Court issued a general direction to the commissioner of Delhi Police to provide adequate force to the two civic bodies whenever required for implementation of the same.