Roadside vendors cause traffic chaos

Street vendors selling goods on roadside in Jhajjar and Bahadurgarh towns are causing traffic chaos and congestion

Updated At : 02:43 PM Feb 02, 2019 IST

Vendors sell fruits on rehris parked on roadside near the old bus stand in Jhajjar. Photo: Sumit Tharan

Ravinder Saini

Street vendors selling goods on roadside in Jhajjar and Bahadurgarh towns are causing traffic chaos and congestion. Though a survey to collect information about the vendors has been conducted in both towns, further action is yet to be taken on its reports. Moreover, the Haryana Street Vendor Rules to provide relief to street vendors from exploitation are yet to be implemented in Jhajjar district.

Sources say the rules aim at saving hawkers, who earn their livelihood by plying ‘rehris’ on the roadside, from exploitation. The hawkers do not have a fixed place to sell goods and hence face uncertainty of earning livelihood. The state government prepared the rules on the direction of the Central Government.

A town Vending Committee was also constituted at the district level to chalk out a plan to effectively implement the rules. The committee comprised of an officer representing the local authorities, officers of local bodies, the fire officer, police officers, office-bearers of associations of markets, traders and vendors, members of resident welfare associations and officers of banks

“A private agency had conducted a survey in Jhajjar and Bahadurgarh towns last year to identify street vendors, vending and non-vending zones on the direction of the state local bodies authorities. According to the survey, 630 street vendors in Jhajjar and over 2,000 in Bahadurgarh town have been identified,” says an official of the Jhajjar Municipal Committee.

He says all details pertaining to street vendors will be made available online so that authorised vendors can be recognised easily and action is taken against those found selling goods without a valid licence. “Street vendors should be issued licences and provided space at vending zones without further delay to resolve the problem of traffic congestion. Most of the roads in Bahadurgarh city are wide enough to ensure easy movement of traffic but vendors cause congestion by parking their ‘rehris’ on roadside,” says Kamal Sehrawat, a resident of Bahadurgarh.

Rajesh, a resident of Jhajjar city, says that ‘rehris’ are the main cause of traffic congestion in the old bus stand area. The district authorities should implement the Haryana Street Vendor Rules at the earliest to address the problem of traffic congestion in the city.

Narendra Saini, Secretary of the Jhajjar Municipal Committee, says that the survey has been completed and the agency will submit its final survey report within a few days. Thereafter, the report will be placed at the meeting of the Town Vending Committee for verification and further action with regard to issuing licences and declaring vending and no-vending zone in the town, he adds.