Street Food Spatial Planning and Design Solutions 3

Crunchy numbers, crispy stats

Eating out has becoming a part of the urban culture in the country. The street food sector contributes to the economy of an urban and peri-urban agricultural sector. In urban planning terms, street vendors are the informal sector which are associated with the major land use areas such as residential, commercial, industrial, recreational, public uses and tourist places.

The fact that street food has importance as a global issue and the street food places where hungry people, explorers can venture into filling of their stomach. Planning that improves the life chances of the urban poor in low income countries. The planning and design aspects consists of the vender cart, the surrounding environment, water - source, quality, usage pattern (storage, use and disposal), garbage disposal, sanitary condition, pavement condition, traffic movement, pedestrian load etc. It is an informal market where the sellers and buyers need space and infrastructure.

Aesthetic appearance of food and food stand, appearance of the food vendor, the food vender surroundings are very important in terms of design and planning for street food.The experience from Vancouver City shows how street food vendors would impact the city. They were part of a pilot programme titled ‘Formalised Informal Commerce’ in the downtown. The city officials picked 17 operators by lottery from about 800 who applied for spots on city sidewalks and curbside locations. Alternates were also chosen in case winners were not ready. The winners have to have waste-management plans. Their food-handling practices will be subject to Vancouver Coastal Health inspection.

Planning, design and operating the vending kiosks is a complex task for the local government. Kiosks could be made permanent but it should be lightly built structures with provision for having water and electrical outlets. It may be non-mobile vendors to convert to kiosks or three-walled shop houses for health and sanitary reasons. In fact in developed nations, the street food vendors produce and sell their wares from permanent but illegal shacks/ tents/ buildings that often shelter tables and chairs for their customers. In some cities the official kiosks would be able to sell foods legally. The kiosks are attractively designed and large enough to allow food processing.

One unit is 10 meters long and 2.5 meters wide and attached with electricity, water, and sewerage facilities.It is important to note that keep vending unit and location clean - especially all working surfaces should be made neat, easy to clean material and kept well above the ground. Vending location should be away from toilets, open drains and animals. Waste bins with lid should be used and emptied on a regular basis. Basic infrastructure to promote sanitation, e.g. toilets, hand washing facilities, safe water supplies and drainage should be accessible. Food should be protected from dust, insects, dirt and direct sun.

Banking sector should encourage small business segment by supply of loan, reduced rate of interest. This measure will help vendors to establish and to improve their stalls for more hygienic food and a better environment. The local governments have to arrange for the design and standardisation of street food stalls to be used in specific authorised and earmarked areas and time in the city. The area and timing of operation may be fixed. Uniformly designed kiosks will be used by the hawkers, and smaller kiosks will be allowed on narrow pavements. Kiosks should be properly placed and keep away from important crossings or bus-stops. All kiosks will be removed from the pavements after the specified hawking hours.

The city government should evolve “safe path and travel” approach with preparation of a City Pedestrian Plan (CCP). The plan should aim at creation of pedestrian space, hawker’s space, parking space, vehicular space along with sidewalks, ramps, grills, skywalks, underpass etc to facilitate safe, easy and healthy movement of people. The planning and design of space ensure that the food carts would only be permitted where there is sufficient sidewalk space to ensure clear sidewalks for persons with disabilities and easy access to area businesses. The plan should also form standards for design of cart, litter pickup, and hours of operation, set guidelines for cart dimensions and design, and standards for trash clean up and hours of operation.

Urban planning policies and economic development strategies should prioritise security for informal workers. Urban renewal projects, infrastructure development projects should not replace the informal workers from their natural market places. Planners should look into new innovative organisational and business model as a way of empowering the working poor and reduce urban poverty. Use of urban policy research as an instrument of change should be included among the tools available for social change.Dr. Abdul Razak Mohamed, DEAN of Studies & HOD Planning, School of Planning and Architecture, Vijayawada