Mohali: GMADA approves seven sites for rehabilitation of street vendors

Now, the Mohali municipal corporation is awaiting possession of the seven sites to begin process of relocating street vendors

Paving the way for the implementation of the Street Vending Act in the city, the Greater Mohali Area Development Authority (GMADA) has approved seven of the eight proposed sites to relocate vendors.

Implementation of the Street Vendors’ (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act, 2014, has been hanging fire since 2015, when the Mohali municipal corporation MC had first ordered a survey to identify street vendors in the city. (HT Photo)

The approval came during a meeting between the officials of GMADA and municipal corporation (MC) on Tuesday evening.

The civic body, which is to implement the Act, had been writing letters to the authority for past 18 months for approval and possession of sites.

MC commissioner Kamal Kumar Garg said, “Following the meeting, officials visited the earmarked locations and a consensus was reached on seven sites. We are hopeful of getting possession soon, which will help us 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 is aimed at registering and rehabilitating street vendors, and also 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. The 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. Later in August, GMADA earmarked eight sites, but failed to approve these, until now.

Seven vending zones

Sector 54, near Bassi Theatre

Sector 55, near Phase-1 barrier

Sector 56, UT-Mohali border

Sector 68, near Temple of Knowledge

Sector 77, near waterworks

Sector 77, near Akal Ashram Colony

Sector 78, near Fire Station