Over the years, street vending has always been the easiest means of survival for poor migrants. It is one of the indispensable spheres of urban economies, for it not only acts as a source of livelihood but also because a large part of the urban population depends on the vendors for getting produce at affordable prices. Even then, in terms of the level of income, the National Commission for Enterprises in the Unorganised Sector in 2007 found that street vendors in India are largely located in the low-income self-employed group of workers, those who are mostly poor and vulnerable.
Street vending comes with its baggage of insecurity and uncertainty. This is due to an unstable income, an unsafe business environment–prone to accidents, long-term illnesses due to exposure to pollution, and no access to social security. A significant proportion of street vendors still manage their social protection by borrowing from different sources at an exorbitant rate of interest of around 3-10 per cent per month and often end up falling into a debt trap.
With India striving towards beautifying urban spaces, cities have started to lose sight of the significance and demand of street vending. Street vendors remain vulnerable to harassment, bribes, confiscations and evictions. Initiatives like urban renewal projects, infrastructure upgrades and mega-events tend to routinely displace street vendors from natural markets, leaving the most vulnerable urban population without a workplace.
At the level of policymaking, street vendors were given their due recognition for the first time in independent India through the Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act 2014. Still, proper facilitation of street vending will require the government at every single level to take a slew of proactive measures. With the high scope that street vending offers, appropriately designed urban spaces can turn street vending into a substantial part of urban planning and operational statutes.
As the COVID-19 pandemic struck India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi acknowledged the hit taken by the street vendors in cities, launched the PM SVANidhi Scheme and announced several financial assistance and food security programs
All tiers of the government must prioritise their requirements and make urban policies and local economic development strategies to ensure security of informal workers. Mumbai, in a pioneering move, recently introduced Mumbai Development Plan (DP) 2034. This DP has the concept of multi-utility land, where the predominant user/owner will operate for long periods. Meanwhile, hawking would be permitted in time slots when the other activity is suspended. Similarly, vending spaces will be created in housing schemes, markets and other large developments. Other cities in India can learn a lot and introduce similar provisions in their urban planning and development.
Street vendors provide a wide range of essential products at affordable prices. But what they still lack is the provision of licenses, which will make them less exposed to harassment and confiscation they often face. Formal financial institutions look for resources and credit history while providing a loan, but the urban poor, including the street vendors, have none, which prompts them to rely on other sources to borrow money, ultimately leading them to a debt trap. Access to social security for street vendors is of paramount importance now, more than ever!
Thorough research and understanding is a must on the part of the administration and policymakers to achieve implementation of modified street vending designs while simultaneously addressing the existing challenges in allotting space to vendors. Such proactive measures can handle the complexities of urban poverty and generate increased opportunities for the urban poor.
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