Amid encroachment concerns, 1,219 issued vending licence
Amid rising concerns over unregistered vendors and the alleged inaction of the authorities concerned with regard to encroachments across the city, the Municipal Corporation (MC) today revealed that the licences of 1,219 non-essential service providers had been reclassified as essential service providers over the past four years. These vendors were granted permission to operate at the sites they were found operating from during a survey.
In the previous General House meeting, BJP councillor Saurabh Joshi, supported by councillors from other parties, had criticised the MC officials, accusing them of turning the civic body into a “den of corruption” and failing to address the issue of encroachments.
Ahead of the coming House meeting scheduled for September 26, the vendor cell of the MC responded to Joshi’s concerns, stating that the House had approved the reclassification of certain vendors running tandoors and selling “chhole bhature”, “kulcha chhole” and “paranthas” as essential service providers. From February 2021 to January 2024, 1,219 non-essential service providers had their licences converted under this category.
During a survey conducted in 2016, around 11,000 vendors, categorised into street, essential and non-essential groups, were registered. They were allocated vending sites for five years for a monthly licence fee. However, many vendors did not move to the designated sites, citing poor business, and continued to operate from unauthorised locations.
Both registered and unregistered vendors are occupying unauthorised spaces across the city, including corridors, pavements, road berms, and parking lots. Unregistered vendors can even be found in Sector 17 Plaza, a no-vending zone. Sectors 1 to 6 and Sector 17 were designated as no-vending areas in 2019, allowing only essential service providers to operate there. Despite this, unregistered vendors operate without fear.
The agenda for the coming House meeting includes just two development-related items — a proposal to upgrade Khuda Ali Sher stadium at a cost of Rs 1.75 crore and the construction of pedestrian paths at EWS Colony, Dhanas.
