Mooted in 2014, vendors’ policy still on paper in Jalandhar

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, May 18

A policy announced for the welfare of street vendors in 2014 still seems far from implementation in the near future. Under the policy, 34 sites for the street vendors were identified around three years ago, but due to the lack of funds, the process was stopped thereafter.

MC can earn Rs 1 crore/year

If the Act is implemented, the civic body will get a revenue of over Rs 1 crore every year from vendors. This will resolve the issue of encroachment, which is one of the biggest problems. Mandeep Singh, Superintendent (Tehbazari)

Out of the 34 sites, only four were selected to start the project. e-tenders were floated two or three times under the Smart City mission, but no contractor came forward, after which nobody really cared about its implementation.

The sites where street vendors will be provided sites will have a pucca floor, proper segregation, sheds, drinking water and every other basic facility. But the lackadaisical attitude of the MC coupled with the shortage of funds are playing a spoilsport.

Rajneesh Dogra, SE (Building and Roads), said now the department would use MC funds to carry out the process. “We will start work on the four sites that we see viable and will look for some other sites too,” he said.

Ironically, it is reported from time to time that the Municipal Corporation does not have enough funds, which is why the officials said only four sites were decided first.

Survey completed in 2017

• A survey was conducted for two years under the Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act, 2014, by a private company, which was given the contract. It completed the survey in 2017, in which more than 12,000 street vendors were registered in the city and sites were identified.
• Besides, videography of vendors was done and payments in lakhs were made to the firm hired to carry out the work.
• According to a rough estimate, the company had been given Rs 50, 00,000 by the civic body — Rs 300 per vendor, which means Rs 300xRs 12,000 = Rs 36 lakh, besides other charges.

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