Govt to regulate quality, prices at Ramazan bazaars

Kartarpura Food Street to be made functional by Ramazan

RAWALPINDI: All assistant commissioners and senior officials of Rawalpindi District will have to purchase their essential items from the Ramazan bazaars which will be established from Shaban 25 as part of measures to regulate prices and quality of items sold at these markets.

This was directed by the Rawalpindi Deputy Commissioner Muhammad Ali Randhawa on Sunday.

He further directed that four assistant commissioners and 26 price control magistrates must stay in the Ramazan bazaars to inspect the quality and prices of essential items being sold there.

He warned of strict action against the vendors who do not display price lists, including imprisonment for 72 hours and a fine ranging from Rs3,000 to Rs15,000 as well as seizing their equipment.

The livestock department will supply chicken and meat while the grains and vegetables will be supplied by the market committee and agricultural department.

A complaint box will also be installed in easy to approach places.

The assistant commissioners have been directed to address these complaints the same day.

Food street upgradation

The Parks and Horticulture Authority (PHA) has launched a plan to upgrade and beautify the project of Kartarpura Food Street and efforts will be made to make it functional before Ramazan.

PHA Chairman Asif Mehmood said that the renovation project of old buildings in the Food Street is also expected to be completed at the same time while a dedicated car park will be set up to facilitate visitors.

The chairman added that on the directives of the Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar, they had launched a Rawalpindi City Revival project and all the departments concerned had been assigned special tasks by the Rawalpindi deputy commissioner.

He further said that the food street will be developed on the same pattern as Lahore’s food street and will be ready by Ramazan when people would be able to visit it for sehri and iftar.

“Business activity will also increase in the area once it is declared a food street and the culture of the Potohar region will be showcased there as well,” he said, adding that they were working on beautifying the main thoroughfares, markets and main entry and exit points of the city to make the town a model city.

Moreover, Rawalpindi DC Randhawa, while chairing a meeting, asked the owners of food outlets to install CCTV cameras at their premises besides making arrangements to accommodate families.

The DC directed the traffic police to make parking arrangements in the area and ensure that traffic flows smoothly. The Rawalpindi Waste Management Company had also been instructed to ensure proper cleanliness arrangements for the food street.

With additional input from APP

 

Published in The Express Tribune, April 22^nd, 2019.