Tirupur: About 75 street vendors, who were evicted from Kamaraj Road in the city, petitioned the district administration on Monday to allow them to restart their trade from the same location.
Conducting their business on Kamaraj Road near old bus stand for 20 years, the vendors said their livelihoods had been affected due to the eviction. “When the state highways took up a flyover project, the vendors had to vacate the road. After the flyover was opened, they occupied spaces beneath the bridge without affecting road traffic. But the city police have forcefully evicted them,” said B Balan, the president of Tirupur district street vendors association.
“The vendors saw good business near the old bus stand as many people came there to buy their essentials. But their livelihood is affected now. They do not have any other place to start their business now,” he added.
As per the Street Vendors Act, 2014, the authorities should not evict hawkers if traffic was not affected, Balan said. “When evicted, vendors should be given alternative place,” he said.
When contacted, a senior corporation official said, “The civic body did not object to the presence of hawkers on Kamaraj Road since it was maintained by the state highways department.”
“When the corporation did not want us to be evicted, the police took unnecessary steps to remove us. We will stage protests, if our demand is not met,” Balan said. tnn
