
Food courts to come up on plots that have gone cold
Chennai: In the next year, the city will turn unused corners into places people flock to for food. The
Greater Chennai Corporation
(GCC) is working on a plan to convert vacant land and underused municipal buildings in busy parts of the city into food courts.
These spaces, until now ignored, will soon see crowds, kitchens, and the smell of fresh food in the air.
In the first phase, GCC picked three sites: the land next to the Ripon Buildings on Sydenhams Road, a plot on Indira Nagar 3rd Avenue, and a stretch near the Alandur metro parking lot. All three spots lie unused today. GCC plans to turn them into clean, affordable food courts with a range of popular cuisines.
"We are doing this based on the model CMRL adopted near Ashok Nagar metro station," said M Birathiviraj, deputy commissioner (revenue and finance).
"We'll build the shell structures with essential facilities such as parking and basic amenities, and then lease them out to vendors or food chains."
To get things moving, GCC has floated a tender to hire a consultant who will prepare a Detailed Project Report (DPR). The consultant's scope will include topographical and geotechnical surveys, architectural and structural designs, 3D visualisations, and preparation of tender and construction-ready documents.
The DPR is expected to be ready in the next few months. Once it is done, GCC will float tenders for construction. Officials plan to expand the model in phases and are scouting more empty land and unused shopping complexes across the city.
"These are not just food courts," a senior GCC official said. "We are creating well-planned, lively public spaces while monetizing municipal assets."
Gandharv Dhingra, CEO of Roll Baby Roll and chapter head of NRAI Chennai, said, "When brands come together in high-footfall zones, it benefits the entire community — bringing hygienic,
affordable food options
, steady revenue for the exchequer, and catalysing real estate development.
It's not just about food; it's about developing the area holistically."
Satish Galley, a civic activist, said, "A well-planned food court in the neighbourhood with proper sanitation, waste management, and crowd control is needed. Many public spaces are now converted to dumpyards or a hangout space for troublemakers. We hope the voices of local residents will be considered in the planning process."
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles

New Indian Express
an hour ago
- New Indian Express
Capgemini and Dai-ichi Life sign multi-year agreement to establish Global Capability Centre in India
BENGALURU: French IT and consulting company Capgemini and Japan's mutual life insurance firm Dai-ichi Life Group have signed a multi-year agreement to establish a Global Capability Centre (GCC) in India. This is to accelerate Dai-ichi Life Group's digital transformation globally. The GCC aims to tap into India's deep pool of skilled professionals to support and enhance the company's IT and digital strategies. Dai-ichi Life Group's goal is to significantly strengthen its in-house digital capabilities and technology platforms, driving innovation and operational efficiency on a global scale. This collaboration with Capgemini, which initially spans Japan, the United States and Australia, will leverage a broad spectrum of the GCC's digital capabilities including advanced software development, infrastructure modernization, AI & data solutions, and robust cybersecurity measures. Both the companies said in a statement that the GCC is designed with the flexibility to expand into other countries based on market needs and potential, to support the global ambitions of Dai-ichi Life Group.


Hans India
3 hours ago
- Hans India
Bengaluru–Mangaluru High-Speed Corridor Takes Off: DPR Work Begins
Mangaluru: In a major boost to Karnataka's infrastructure ambitions, the much-anticipated high-speed expressway between Bengaluru and Mangaluru is one step closer to reality, with the Detailed Project Report (DPR) preparation now officially underway. Dakshina Kannada MP Capt. Brijesh Chowta announced that the tendering process for the DPR has been completed by the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, and the DPR work commenced as of April 30. The report is expected to take around 18 months to complete. "This is a transformative step for the region," said Chowta, who has been lobbying for the project over the past year. "Once realised, this corridor will not only reduce travel time between Bengaluru and Mangaluru drastically but also give a fillip to trade, tourism, and economic activity across southern Karnataka." The expressway, envisioned as a four-to-eight-lane high-speed road, is expected to run via Hassan district. When completed, it will slash travel time — currently 7 to 8 hours by road — to under 5 hours, depending on the final alignment and engineering specifications. Equally important, the all-weather corridor will improve safety, reduce congestion, and ensure seamless connectivity between Karnataka's hinterland and its vital port city. Chowta has thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, and officials at the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) for prioritising the project. He emphasised that it would unlock new growth opportunities for Mangaluru port, enhance the logistics backbone of the region, and strengthen industrial corridors extending to neighbouring districts. In a related proposal, the MP has suggested the preparation of a joint DPR for road and rail connectivity through the ecologically sensitive Shiradi Ghat. Located in the Western Ghats, this zone has long posed engineering and environmental challenges. A coordinated approach involving the NHAI and Indian Railways could streamline approvals from forest and environment ministries, Chowta said. He revealed that the Railways is already exploring a dedicated rail line through the Ghat section, and has urged the formation of a joint technical committee to examine the feasibility of an integrated road-rail corridor — a move that could reduce infrastructure duplication while protecting the fragile ecosystem. With political will and technical groundwork falling into place, the Bengaluru–Mangaluru Expressway could soon evolve from blueprint to blacktop — redefining coastal Karnataka's access to markets, jobs, and growth.
&w=3840&q=100)

Business Standard
4 hours ago
- Business Standard
Biz2x aims to secure ₹17,000 crore loan disbursal to MSMEs in FY26
Biz2X, a digital lending SaaS platform, is eyeing to disburse Rs 17,000 crore loans to MSMEs in 2025-26 against Rs 14,000 crore in the fiscal ended March 2025. The company said it facilitated over Rs 14,000 crore in loan disbursements through its India operations in 2024-25, continuing with the year-on-year growth of 25-30 per cent. The turnkey global SaaS platform enables financial institutions to provide a customised online lending experience for small and midsize business customers. This growth reflects the company's strong focus on AI-driven product enhancements and deeper solution integration, which is driving new customer acquisition and has strengthened lending infrastructure, said Rohit Arora, co-founder and CEO of Biz2X and Biz2Credit. "We see that if we can maintain the current pace of growth, then we can increase it by another 1520 per cent this fiscal year. Obviously, there are some areas of concern, especially with the global situation regarding US tariffs, because Indian SMEs contribute a large part to Indian exports. A lot of those exporters actually lose credit significantly," he said. "But if that situation settles down quickly, the company will achieve close to 20 per cent growth," Arora said. He expects to achieve Rs 17,000 crore mark this fiscal. Harnessing the increase in digitisation across the world, the advent of artificial intelligence and increasing global expansion, the platform plans to further scale reach and impact across the financial ecosystem amid increasing demand for inclusive access to credit. It is focused on enhancing service delivery in high-growth regions in line with India's rising prominence in the Global Capability Center (GCC) landscape projected to reach USD 110 billion by 2030. On MSMEs, Arora said while the government has taken good policy measures, one key step could be learning from other countries and creating deeper demand for MSME loan portfolios in the capital markets. Once that happens, it becomes a self-sustaining cycle, he added. "Right now, banks lend to MSMEs and hold the loans on their books. There's some securitisation, but nowhere near the level seen in the US or other nations. That's the first thing," he said. The second aspect is the credit guarantee programme run by SIDBI, which has done well, but could be improved further, he added. On the company's expansion plans, Arora said the company has operations in India, the US and the UAE, and is also expanding to Saudi Arabia. The company is focused on diversifying its product portfolio in India and pushing AI-driven solutions. Biz2X, Arora said, is supporting small businesses to address vast credit gaps by leveraging AI-based underwriting using digital footprints.