Street vendors continue to ‘rule the road’

VENDING ZONES? Market areas chock a block as most part of the roads is encroached by squatters

VENDING ZONES? Market areas chock a block as most part of the roads is encroached by squatters

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Lucknow Authorities have failed to regulate street vending in Lucknow over the past 15 years. Even after many rounds of ‘talks’ with roadside vendors during this period, nothing concrete has materialised to decongest the market areas.

Areas like Aminabad, Nazirabad, Qaiserbagh, Moulviganj, Naka, Alambagh, Nakkhas, Yahiyaganj, Chowk and Thakurganj are chock a block with traffic as roads remain encroached by vendors.

Such is the situation that even commuters on two-wheelers find it difficult to pass through the areas, said Sayyed Yawar Hussain ‘Reshu’, leader of Samajwadi Party in Lucknow Municipal Corporation (LMC) House.

“LMC claims they have created 168 vending zones in the city and shifted street vendors to 67 of them, but there is no relief for commuters in any of the areas, where LMC claims they have created vending zones,” he said.

Additional municipal commissioner Amit Kumar said: “In order to streamline traffic, LMC has decided to allow street vending in 168 marked vending zones of the city. Around 12,657 street vendors registered with the corporation will be allowed to put up stalls in these zones.”

These zones were identified by a team of LMC, district administration, LDA , PWD, traffic police and Awas Vikas along with street vendors. However, the police objected to the vending zones at 35 places. These included Aminabad, Nazirabad, etc, he added.

“The LMC wants to shift vendors to vending zones immediately. But we are having a tough time streamlining traffic in Aminabad because vendors have formed a lobby that is not lending an ear to the issues related to their benefits,” said Amit Kumar.

“Most of the street vendors have made the road inaccessible for motorists and don’t want to shift. The LMC will require the cooperation of police and district administration for this work. We hope this work would be done within two months,” he added.

Meanwhile, a committee comprising officers of LMC, LDA, PWD, Awas Vikas, city magistrate and police has been formed to identify space at 35 places, where the police had raised objection.

Most of these vending zones are in Aminabad, Nazirabad, Nakkhas, Chowk, Thakurganj, Badshah Nagar and Nishatganj.

Additional municipal commissioner Amit Kumar admitted that shifting street vendors from places like Aminabad, Nazirabad, Qaiserbagh, Chowk and Nakkhas would not be an easy task.

“Street vendors are occupying a significant part of the road in some areas of these markets. The situation is such that no one can even think of driving a car through these areas during daytime,” said municipal commissioner Indramani Tripathi.

The corporation has tried to streamline traffic in these areas through drives in the past, but encroachers return every time after the drive is over, he said.

To solve the problem of encroachments, LMC officials have approached leaders of street vendors and squatters many times, but encroachers have declined the corporation’s offer to shift them to an alternative place by saying that the place should be “as productive as the place where they are located at present.”

WHAT’S THE SOLUTION?

*Areas like Aminabad, Nazirabad, Qaiserbagh, Moulviganj, Naka, Alambagh, Nakkhas, Yahiyaganj, Chowk and Thakurganj are chock a block with traffic as roads remain encroached by vendors.

*Even commuters on two-wheelers find it difficult to pass through the areas, said Sayyed Yawar Hussain ‘Reshu’, leader of SP in LMC House.

*LMC officials have approached leaders of street vendors and squatters many times, but encroachers have declined the corporation’s offer to shift them to an alternative place by saying that the place should be “as productive as the place where they are located at present.”