A newly opened food street at Kozhikode Beach under the aegis of Kozhikode Corporation. | Photo credit: K. Ragesh
The evenly spaced colorful food carts and seating arrangement amidst the greenery of the Food Street at Kozhikode Beach was the talk of the town shortly after it was inaugurated by Local Government Minister MB Rajesh on October 21. But within a day, attention shifted from aesthetics to the lack thereof, with videos of the street covered in trash going viral on social media. The Kozhikode Corporation was forced to take matters into its own hands and clean up the area on a war footing, but no amount of action could change the public’s lack of civic sense.
The Food Street at Kozhikode Beach is the first of its kind in the state, set up under the joint aegis of the Food Safety Department, National Health Mission and Kozhikode Corporation. The push carts that were dotted around the beach selling various food products have been replaced by specially designed colorful bunk beds. In addition, they have been aligned along Beach Road so that the beach is completely empty and litter-free. Up to 90 food carts operate on a 240-meter-long section. They are set up on raised platforms with seating for visitors. The vendors were selected from the company’s approved list of street vendors. All unauthorized vendors have since been evacuated.
Although considered a model project, the food street has become a headache for the civic body due to the alleged irresponsible behavior of visitors. “Vendors offered free food on the opening day and the public flocked to taste it. The resulting chaos was the reason why the street became dirty,” officials in the corporation’s health department said.
The company has a Food Street management committee with a manager and cleaning staff under him. “We have roped in an agency to clean the entire beach. The street manager, a former police inspector, will be in charge of the street. The cleaners will constantly advise the public not to litter,” said P. Diwakaran, chairman of the society’s welfare standing committee.
There are also plans to set up a notification system on the beach urging visitors not to litter.
Published – 8 Nov 2025 21:01 IST
