Mon Dec 30 03:53:02 UTC 2024: ## Visakhapatnam Night Bazaar Faces Closure Demand Amidst Corruption Allegations

**VISAKHAPATNAM, December 30, 2024** – Opposition corporators in Visakhapatnam are demanding the immediate closure of the popular Old Jail Road Night Bazaar, alleging widespread corruption and irregularities in its operation. Members of the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and Jana Sena Party (JSP), part of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), submitted a representation to the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) demanding the bazaar’s closure by Sunday.

JSP corporator P.L.V.N. Murthy accused YSRCP corporators of involvement in collecting bribes ranging from ₹2 lakh to ₹4 lakh for food stall permits, followed by monthly rentals of ₹20,000. He urged for the bazaar’s closure and a transparent reallocation of vendor slots. TDP corporator Gandham Srinivasa Rao pointed out that the council passed resolutions in 2023 and 2024 to shut down the bazaar due to sanitation issues, traffic congestion, and unauthorized vendors, yet no action was taken.

The NDA corporators highlighted a significant increase in the number of vendors from approximately 70 a year ago to nearly 135 currently. While the GVMC Commissioner, P. Sampath Kumar, assured that the matter would be investigated and action taken, the vendors themselves expressed concern about the potential impact of closure, citing bank loans taken to establish their businesses. They urged action against only unauthorized vendors, not the entire bazaar.

Despite its popularity, the night bazaar faces ongoing criticism regarding sanitation, with complaints of inadequate waste disposal and food waste accumulating on pavements. The bazaar, initially launched in February 2020 with 25 vendors, was briefly closed due to COVID-19 restrictions before reopening and experiencing substantial growth in the number of stalls. The situation remains tense, with the opposition threatening protests if the bazaar remains open beyond Sunday.

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