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4 sites approved for relocation of street vendors in Mohali
Paving the way for the implementation of the Street Vending Act in the city after seven years, the Greater Mohali Area Development Authority (GMADA) approved four of the eight proposed sites to relocate vendors (see box) during a meeting held recently
Paving the way for the implementation of the Street Vending Act in the city after seven years, the Greater Mohali Area Development Authority (GMADA) approved four of the eight proposed sites to relocate vendors (see box) during a meeting held recently.
The civic body, which is responsible for implementing the Act, had been writing to the authority for the past two years, for approval and possession of sites.
During the meeting, GMADA officials stated that the four sites will not cause disturbance in planning or commercial viability of any of GMADA’s chunk sites and had been recommended by the civic body. GMADA has allotted the sites free of cost and their ownership will vest with the authority, even after being handed over to MC.
Also, a condition has been laid that if civic body wishes to shift the street vendors, these sites will have to be given back to GMADA and cost involving in shifting will be borne by the civic body.
Mayor Amarjeet Singh Sidhu said, “We have not got any official information about approval of the sites. Once we do, we will begin the process to rehabilitate vendors.”
Implementation of the Street Vendors’ (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act, 2014, has been hanging fire since 2015, when MC had first ordered a survey to identify street vendors in the city.
The Act aims towards registering and rehabilitating street vendors and safeguarding them against exploitation at the hands of enforcement officers. It also calls for proper rationing of urban streets and spaces.
Illegal vendors dot several main markets of the city, especially those in Phases 7, 3B1, 3B2, 9, 10, and 11.
A private firm hired by MC to carry out the survey had initially shortlisted 2,295 vendors, but the MC House found gaps in the survey and ordered it anew. Later in 2017, the civic body concluded there were 993 moving and stationary vendors, a number that has since multiplied manifold.
In January last year, MC had decided to implement the Act first in Phase 7, where as many as 139 vendors are registered. MC commissioner had even asked the agency that conducted the survey to mark vending space in the parking areas, but the plan had fallen flat, following objections by the market welfare association and area councillor.
Thereon, MC issued identity cards to 200 of the 993 vendors, but they were never given designated spaces to carry out their trade.
