Need to regulate street vendors to check menace: Udyog Vihar industry owners

The Chamber of Industries Udyog Vihar, in a letter to the Haryana State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation (HSIIDC), on Monday, sought “time-bound and permanent” solution to the “problem” of proliferation of street vendors in the area, which leads to traffic jams.

The chamber of industries said there are around 3,500 to 4,000 street vendors in the area who occupy roads, pavements and walkways, leading to vehicular traffic congestion and leave no space for the pedestrians. The letter states that the vendors also pose a health hazard as they litter waste on roads, which keep piling up and raises a stink.

“Street vendors have choked all roads which affects traffic. We receive many delegates on a daily basis and they get stuck in traffic jam. This shows poorly on us. The HSIIDC is the custodian authority of Udyog Vihar. We have written a letter to them to fix this problem in a time-bound manner. In past two to three years, we have raised this issue multiple times with the HSIIDC,” Ashok Kohli, president of chamber of industries, said.

The industry owners said HSIIDC’s operation and maintenance (O&P) department is empowered to act against street vendors who operate illegally from roads and pavements.

Arun Garg, additional general manager of O&P department, said, “We discussed this issue with the joint director of industries in the last district grievance committee meeting held in June. Joint director, industries office, is looking into the matter. We have no power to remove the street vendors which are protected by the act.”

Under the Street Vendors Act, 2014—an Act of the Parliament of India enacted to regulate street vendors in public areas and protect their rights— the street vendors are protected from any coercive action from local authorities.

There are nearly 2,200 small and big industries in Udyog Vihar which employ roughly 3 lakh people.

Ishwar Singh Yadav, joint director district industries government of Haryana, said, “We are taking up this issue in the next district grievance committee meeting likely to be held on August 19.”

The National Association of Street Vendors of India (NASVI), which is apex body of street vendors, said local municipal body has to relocate the street vendors as per the act and under various direction of Supreme Court.

Arvind Singh of Nasvi said, “The rehabilitation of street vendors has been a long fight for us that finally resulted in the formation of the Street Vendors ACT – recognizing their right to livelihood. The local body has to find a way as per act for Udyog Vihar street vendors.”

First Published: Aug 06, 2019 04:05 IST