Patna: The Patna municipal corporation has begun work on a dedicated vending zone near the JP Ganga Path, aiming to streamline traffic and provide organised space for street vendors.
The project is being developed across a 55,000 sq ft area beneath the Digha roundabout, where initial land-levelling work is already underway. Officials said the facility will include parking, restrooms, drinking water and high-mast lighting to improve accessibility and safety.
The move is intended to relocate vendors currently operating along Marine Drive, where unregulated roadside vending has contributed to traffic congestion and disrupted movement along the busy stretch.
According to officials, the vending zone is expected to be completed within one to two months. Once operational, vendors will be shifted to the new site to ensure their livelihoods are not affected while improving urban management.
Plans also include constructing a 16-foot-wide foot overbridge connecting the vending zone with Marine Drive and the banks of the Ganges, along with road development and covering of open drains in the surrounding area.
The municipal corporation said the initiative forms part of a broader plan to develop around three dozen vending zones across the city. At present, 31 locations have been identified for similar facilities.
Officials said the project is being implemented on a priority basis to balance urban mobility with the needs of informal sector workers, while also preserving the aesthetics of the riverfront.
