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No executive, political will to curb hawking in Chandni Chowk: Delhi HC
A bench of justices Vipin Sanghi and Jasmeet Singh observed that barring the Lutyen’s zone there is no other place in the city that is free of hawkers.
The Delhi high court on Wednesday pulled up the authorities for their failure to control encroachment of hawkers in the Chandni Chowk area, saying that there seems to be no executive or political will to curb squatting.
A bench of justices Vipin Sanghi and Jasmeet Singh observed that barring the Lutyen’s zone there is no other place in the city that is free of hawkers.
The court said, “...why spare Lutyens’ zone. They (vendors) should be all over here. Let them be in front of the President’s House, Prithviraj Road, Delhi high court, India Gate and make it a jungle. Why leave this area, we all should face it.”
It said all street vendors must be paying their “haftas” or commission to authorities, which is why they are allowed to squat there despite the area being a no hawking, no vending zone. It said that the officials evidently did not want any improvement in the situation because they’d rather have commission from these unauthorised vendors.
“If there is no political and executive will, then let it go the way it has to, why should we be bothered. We are getting a feeling of complete defeat in this matter,” it said.
The court was hearing a plea by Chandni Chowk Sarv Vyapar Mandal seeking direction to the authorities to remove illegal hawkers and vendors from the no-hawking and no-squatting area in Chandni Chowk, which has recently been redeveloped.
On Wednesday, senior advocate Sanjeev Ralli informed the court that despite repeated directions to the Delhi Police to install 330 CCTV cameras, there isn’t a single one in the area to check encroachment.
Additional standing counsel Anuj Aggarwal, representing the Delhi Police, said earlier due to the redevelopment work, cameras were not being installed. He, however, sought a week’s time to install the cameras and remove encroachments in the area.
Additional standing counsel Naushad Ahmed Khan, appearing for the Delhi government, said some CCTV cameras have been installed by the government and he will report the exact number on the next date of hearing.
The court directed the north corporation to immediately start preparing a street vending plan involving experts from the field of planning, including from the School of Planning and Architecture, IIT, PWD and other bodies.
The bench directed the north corporation to file a status report indicating the steps taken in this regard and made it clear that its commissioner shall be personally responsible for complying with this direction.
During the proceedings, the court also remarked that there was no point in removing hawkers today as they will return tomorrow.
“Either you all (authorities) get together and put your hands up that you can’t do anything because you are ill-staffed or whatever. There is a lack of will to it. Don’t tell us that the police and municipal authority want to do something and it is unable to do it. Either you sort it out or we will issue contempt notice,” the bench said.
The matter will now be heard on December 6.
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