Vijayawada: On the occasion of Republic Day, the Vijayawada Municipal Corporation (VMC) issued an order to close all meat shops selling chicken, mutton, fish, and other items within the city limits on Sunday. The authorities shut down 10 shops that defied these orders and imposed penalties on violators.
Typically, meat shops are closed on Gandhi Jayanti and Mahavir Jayanti, but this year, the VMC ordered the closure of slaughterhouses and animal slaughterhouses starting Saturday night. As a result, approximately 80% of non-veg shops remained closed on Sunday morning.
Shoppers were caught off guard as they were unaware of the ban on meat sales for the day. Popular markets like Mahanti Market, Durgapuram Market, Ajit Singh Nagar Fish Market, and One Town Fish Market were shut by the authorities.
The VMC also closed street markets selling non-veg items in areas like Chuttugunta and Darsipata and prohibited vendors from selling live fish in autos. Despite these restrictions, many non-veg enthusiasts flocked to surrounding areas like Tadigadapa and Ramavarappadu, where chicken centres were crowded with customers from Vijayawada.
While the ban is typically imposed on days like Gandhi Jayanti and Mahavir Jayanti, locals were puzzled by the restriction on Republic Day.
