Implement vending policy: HC tells administration TNN | LUCKNOW: Responding to the matter related to encroachment in Aminabad, Lucknow bench of Allahabad high court has directed Lucknow Nagar Nigam to follow Supreme Courts order and implement the vending policy in city soon. The policy necessitates the corporation provide alternative location to street vendors after removing them from main roads and markets. The court has directed municipal commissioner to relocate Aminabad vendors who have been evicted. Government of India in 2007 had formed a policy demanding each state to frame regulations for their street vendors. They had to provide specific vending zones to each of them and also identify no-vending zones in the city. So far, this policy could not be implemented in Uttar Pradesh. The recent Aminabad matter in which 77 permanent shopkeepers had filed petition against rampant encroachment by street vendors, affecting adversely their business and blocking traffic movement, has brought the issue of the vending policy to the fore. LMC officials said they were unable to enforce the policy in the city as there was no free space left to settle them after evicting them from the original place. Nagar nigam had also filed an affidavit in the court against the complainant shopkeepers that they were violating rules too. Most of them had extended their shop counters up to verandahs in front of their shops and had made illegal basements without seeking permission from LDA or LMC. The court has directed the LDA and LMC to conduct jointly a survey of the market and identify such illegal basements. The agencies have been instructed to take necessary action against the violators. Meanwhile, nagar nigam has launched a survey to find out the number and type of vendors in the city and is also identifying zones to be marked as vending and no-vending areas. There are about 1.5 lakh street vendors in the city, both permanent and mobile who flock roadsides causing major bottlenecks in the traffic. Following HC orders to remove encroachment from Aminabad and report about the status to the court, LMC conducted two drives on October 22 and 26 and evicted about 256 vendors. The vendors have requested LMC to provide them an alternative location, but the corporation is unable to find a suitable place. An official said, We cannot place the evicted vendors on PWD roads as per UP Roadside Control Act 1972 nor can we place them around highways governed by NHAI rules. They can only be placed around nagar nigam roads which are already too congested. LMC said the vendors have to be shifted either to a new place on the outskirts of the city or placed in multi-storeyed shopping complexes which can be built above the nagar nigam-owned market. In Aminabad, nagar nigam owns Mohan Market which was being proposed to be converted into a multi-storeyed building where vendors can be seated. Moreover, officials also argued that the vending policy is applicable only for traditional vendors who have been in the business for years. Only these vendors need to be provided some alternative location. Many new vendors have emerged in the city working on temporary basis but claim to be permanent vendors. The policy doesnt make provision for such temporary vendors, claimed Lucknow Municipal Corporation. Post a comment
Posted on: Fri, 08 Nov 2013 13:43:57 +0000
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