Land to be used specifically for markets will be allocated across 23 municipalities to reduce the spread of street vendors, the Ministry of Local Administration announced on Monday.

The ministry is currently working to identify suitable plots of land, said the Minister of Local Administration, Walid al-Masri, during a visit to the Zarqa Municipality on Monday.

Street markets offer an ideal solution for vendors where they can sell their goods in a legal and dignified way, said al-Masri.

Initially, the markets will be open-air with the use of umbrellas and canopies to provide shade from the sun. Later on, the plan is to transform them into permanent structures.

The ministry will begin the projects as soon as land has been allocated, and it will carry out infrastructure works to make the sites accessible to sellers and the public.

During al-Masri’s visit to Zarqa, he viewed the site of a new market currently under construction, pointing out that this site is the first of its kind in Jordan.