Vending zones in a limbo as nod from key depts awaited

Ambika Sharma
Tribune News Service
Solan, August 1
With the Solan Municipal Corporation failing to set up vending zones in the town, street vendors have started occupying every nook and cranny. The town vending committee had selected 21 vending zones last year where temporary stalls were be set up to facilitate the vendors.
The move was aimed at regulating operations of street vendors, besides providing them with employment. As the vending zones were supposed be come up along the National Highway and state roads, no objection certificates (NOCs) were sought from the Public Works Department (PWD) and the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI).
The possibility of kiosk owners raising fixed structures and obstructing traffic movement on these roads deterred the authorities from granting the NOCs.
In the recent general house of the civic body, an agenda to provide land to the street vendors through a draw of lots was raised. This was meant for the first floor of an existing vendor market.
Key places in the town like the main bazaar at Chambaghat, Mohan Meakin Brewery at Salogra, tourism office near Kather bypass, area near the HRTC workshop, Gurukul School, Bank of Baroda at Rabon, post office, near Baba Balak Nath temple, in front of the inter-state bus terminal, Saproon bus stop, Dohri Diwal, Basal road, Subathu road, Hospital road and Kotla nullah were identified by the MC for setting up of the vending zones.
Though the Deputy Commissioner had declared the Mall Road a non-vending zone, street vendors were freely operating from there. Their number registers a steep increase on Sunday when the market is closed and the entire area is occupied by the vendors selling household goods.
The vending zones were supposed to provide an authorised space to the registered vendors who otherwise encroach upon the road as well as the pedestrian path on the Mall Road.
A proposal to set up the vending zones also featured in this year’s Budget presented by the Mayor wherein 21 sites across the town were identified after a survey.
Since setting up of such zones on the Solan-Shimla highway could disrupt the smooth movement of vehicular traffic, the PWD and NHAI were averse to giving the NOCs.