Aakanksha N Bhardwaj
Jalandhar, August 17
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 lack of funds, the process was stopped thereafter.
12,000 vendors registered & sites identified
Rs 50,00,000 given by MC to firm for survey
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. Following this, the project was dropped from the Smart City Mission and it was decided that it would be funded by the Municipal Corporation.
Tenders will be floated again
Tenders will be floated again. Someone will definitely come forward for the project. We will also take up the matter with the MC Commissioner. Rajneesh Dogra, SE (building and roads)
Under the project, the zones 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 is playing a spoilsport.
Ironically, it is reported from time to time that the MC does not have enough funds, which is why only four sites were decided to be completed first.
On being contacted, all officials fail to give details about when and how the project would be completed.
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 for the project. It completed the survey in 2017, in which over 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, that amounts to Rs 36 lakh, besides other charges.
Proposed facilities
Under the project, the zones where street vendors will be provided sites will have a pucca floor, proper segregation, sheds, drinking water and every other basic facility. However, the lackadaisical attitude of the MC coupled with shortage of funds is playing a spoilsport.
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