Street vending policy in Noida to come into effect by 2016-end

The Noida authority has surveyed areas in all circles to earmark areas for relocation of the 500-odd street vendors in the city. At present, the vendors work on the pavements of major roads, hindering movement of vehicles and pedestrians.

The Noida authority has surveyed areas in all circles to earmark areas for relocation of the 500-odd street vendors in the city. At present, the vendors work on the pavements of major roads, hindering movement of vehicles and pedestrians.

Vendors are hopeful that the authority will allocate space to them in markets, from where they can run their small shops without fear of eviction.(Burhaan Kinu/HT PHOTO)

It has been a challenge for the authority to remove encroachments in the absence of street vending policy. The Supreme Court, in 2014, stated that district administrations must build a street vending committee, comprising top officials, to earmark space for vendors and take measures for their welfare.

The authority has sent the proposal to the headquarters in Lucknow and is optimistic of getting the nod at the earliest. As assembly elections are scheduled in the state early next year, the model code of conduct for elections will come into force by the end of the year.

“The officials said that the policy will be effective in three months. We have demanded that the authority allots space to street vendors before the code of conduct comes into force,” said Vimla Batham, a Noida member of legislative assembly.

SC Gaur, chief town planner of the Noida authority, said, “The survey to earmark or identify spaces circle-wise was completed a few weeks ago. Earlier, the authority had sent a proposal for the formation of a street vending committee to the government. We are working in this regard and hopefully we will get the nod before the enforcement of the election code of conduct.”

The plan has been stuck in files for months. Vendors are hopeful that the authority will allocate space to them in markets, from where they can run their small shops without fear of eviction.

“The authority has assured us that the policy will come into effect soon. The Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act, 2014, protects their rights but the district administration has failed to provide them space,” Arvind Singh, director of the national association of street vendors of India (Nasvi), said.

Encroachments of roads, service lanes and pavements by vendors have appeared a big problem for the district administration.

“If the authority fails to keep its promise of removing encroachments, we will write to the Uttar Pradesh government,” AN Dhawan, secretary general, the federation of Noida residents’ welfare association, said.