36 Ramzan stalls allotted in Bhatkal through draw of lots; over 1,300 apply

Bhatkal: The Bhatkal Town Municipal Council (TMC) on Tuesday allotted 36 temporary Ramzan stalls through a draw of lots ahead of Eid-ul-Fitr, with a total of 1,359 applicants competing for the limited spaces.

The stalls will be set up along the stretch from the Old Bus Stand to Marikatta Bazar, a location where traders traditionally sell garments, footwear and other festival-related items at affordable prices during the Ramzan season.

The selection process was conducted at Anjuman Ground in the presence of a large number of applicants, including many women.

Municipal Chief Officer Venkatesh Nauda said the civic body had identified 37 locations for the stalls along the roadside. Of these, one stall has been reserved for the police to facilitate security arrangements, while the remaining 36 were allotted through the draw of lots. One stall has also been reserved for a person with disability.

According to Nauda, the municipality received 1,359 applications this year for the stalls. The rent for each stall has been fixed at Rs 6,000, which includes Rs 1,000 towards sanitation charges. The municipality had also collected Rs 200 as the application fee for each form.

During the draw, slips carrying the registration numbers of applicants were placed in a box and picked randomly by children present at the venue. The numbers were then verified with the applicant details in the register before the selected names were announced.

Former municipal vice-president Mohiddin Altaf Kharuri, councillor Imshad Mukhtasar and social worker Nisar Top were present during the process. A police team led by PSI Naveen was also deployed at the venue to maintain order.