RMC clamps down on food vendors without licences

RANCHI: The Ranchi Municipal Corporation (RMC) has begun a crackdown on unlicensed food vendors operating in the city limits by imposing a fine of Rs 10,000 under a special drive.
On Monday, it imposed a fine on one vendor conducting business at Doranda area and seized two vans for not paying fines during the drive, which will continue, said officials.

Last month, the RMC asked all food van operators to apply for licences by April 15. However, only nine food van operators have applied till now, they added.
Talking to TOI, Sneha Shree, city mission manager, said, “Vendors who sell their wares on carts are now required to acquire licences. No one will be allowed to hawk in any non-vending zone. If any vendor is found selling food on a van without a licence, he or she will have to pay a fine of Rs 10,000. We had issued the advertisement for licence application deadline till April 15 but till date, only nine applications have been received. That is why we have launched the crackdown.”
To apply for licence, vendors have to pay Rs 5,000 and mention the area in which they want to sell their wares. The licence will be valid for one year, after which the vendors will need to renew it.
“The RMC has a four-member committee that verifies documents and on the last Tuesday of every month, a meeting is conducted for the market section pertaining to food vendors in order to issue licences or hear their grievances,” Shree added.
The RMC has collected around Rs 5.9 lakh in fines from 2017 to March 2023 from food van vendors operating without licences.