3 years on, streets vendors await dedicated zones in Ludhiana

Although MC’s town vending committee announced to shift the street vendors to 24 identified sites in February, there has been no progress

Despite being in the pipeline for years, the municipal corporations’ plans to shift the vendors in the city to dedicated sites have failed to materialise.

treet vends set up at the side of the road near Arya College on Hambran Road in Ludhiana on Tuesday. (Manish/HT)

In 2020, the civic body had announced that 64 vending zones will be earmarked in the city to ease the flow of traffic.

Although MC’s town vending committee announced to shift the street vendors to 24 identified sites in February, there has been no progress.

As per the survey conducted in 2019 by the civic body, there were around 21,000 street vendors in the city. Officials claim that the figure would double if a fresh survey is conducted.

In September last year, MC’s finance and contracts committee had approved the work order to set up a smart street vending zone on Hambran Road at a cost of ₹1.18 crore. The zone, which was supposed to host around 95 vendors, remains empty as no vendors have been shifted to the site.

Additionally, the civic body had nether established any sheds at the site, nor provided any basic amnesties, such as toilets and sanitation, among others.

The corporation also conducts regular drives against illegal vendors in the city, imposing fines and confiscating their vends.

Vendors say that these actions are futile until the MC establishes dedicated vending zones.

Surjeet Kumar, a vegetable vendor on Hambran Road, said, “The site at Hambran road and others selected as vending zones are inappropriate as they are far from markets and commercial areas.” He added that these areas have a low footfall and he does not want to incur losses by shifting to the site without proper arrangements.

A vendor at Feroze Gandhi Market, Surjit Singh, said, “My vend was confiscated by the MC authorities on two occasions and I paid hefty fines both times. The authorities should establish vending zones for all or should stop harassing us by such actions.”

MC secretary Tejinder Singh Panchi said that the sites are being prepared and the vendors will be shifted to the dedicated zones soon.