Night bazaars by March-end

<div class="section1"><div class="Normal" style="" text-align:="" justify="">NEW DELHI: Tourism minister Renuka Choudhury''s ambitious night bazaar may have failed to take off after objections from the DDA, but the tourism ministry is not losing hope. <br /><br />In a meeting held recently, DDA officials had objected to commercial usage of the green belt near Hauz Khaz village — the venue for the bazaar — forcing the ministry to change its plans."We informed the ministry that a night bazaar there was not feasible as a high court order prohibited certain types of activities in green belt areas," says Madhukar Gupta, vice-chairman, DDA. "And as a night bazaar would have commercial activity, there was the possibility of it having some prohibited activities." <br /><br />However, Choudhury says that as a lot of preparation had already begun for the bazaar, the proposal cannot be shelved. "But we will go ahead with the bazaar without getting into the green belt area," she says. The bazaar which was originally scheduled to take off in mid-January, is now expected to begin by March-end. When asked why the bazaar could not be shifted to another area, she says, "The infrastructure and the ambience of Hauz Khas village is perfect for a night bazaar. All that is required is re-wiring and we are getting that done," says Choudhury. <br /><br />The posh location of Hauz Khas village was selected for the first night bazaar of Delhi keeping in mind the already existing infrastructure there. However, it was left to the ministry to take necessary clearances from the DDA, MCD and other agencies involved. <br /><br />Ministry sources say that the Intach-designed thelas and rehdis to sell steamy hot potatoes, pav-bhaji, papri-chat and popcorns, sold the same way as roadside hawkers do, were ready when the objections came in. "In a matter of a few more days, things will be sorted out," an official from the ministry says. The night bazaar was to be opened from 8 pm-4 am and there were plans to sell organically-grown foodgrains and handmade products, besides holding cultural festivals.</div> </div>