KCC yet to create street vending zones

KALABURAGI, Karnataka:  The creation of the street vending zones is still pending in the Kalaburagi City Corporation (KCC), even though the corporation has received the detailed project report (DPR) three years ago. The street vending policy can also help in reducing traffic congestion on arterial city roads.

The Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act 2014, prescribes the identification of vending zones to provide a dedicated space for the street vendors to conduct their business. The local bodies covered by the act have to register the names of the street vendors, allot them a place for vending and provide identity cards to them.

In pursuance of this act, the city corporation prepared the DPR report in 2020 and identified five locations to build around 550 individual vending units for street vendors in the city.

Deepak Gala, President of Hyderabad Karnataka Environment Awareness and Protection Organisation, a renowned activist, has also asked the state to implement the National Urban Street Vendors policy and give directives to the local bodies to identify and mark the various zones. Restriction Free Vending Zones, Restricted Vending Zones and No Vending Zones and Mobile Vending Areas are some of the categories of zones to be earmarked. 

He added that the corporation also conducts regular drives against illegal vendors and imposes fines and other punitive actions. However, these actions will be of no good until the city corporation does not demarcate dedicated vending zones. It has become difficult for the public to commute through the city roads as more than half of the road is occupied by street vendors, thereby clogging the traffic.

An official informed that there are around 20,000 street vendors in the city, but the corporation has only registered 6,000 and issued identity cards.