Residents in some parts oppose Corporation’s new vending zones

Well-meaning exercise: Once the list of vending and non-vending zones is notified by the Tamil Nadu government, the Chennai Corporation will allocate space for vendors.
| Photo Credit: FILE PHOTO

Residents in several zones of the Greater Chennai Corporation have started objecting to the first list of vending zones approved by the Corporation Council last week. Anna Nagar West Extension resident R. Kamaraj says that the residents have opposed the decision to create a vending zone on East Main Road of Anna Nagar West Extension. “The Corporation has already erected a board informing that the road is a vending zone. We have objected. Once permitted, vendors will encroach on more road space. Garbage will accumulate in our area. Half of the road will be encroached upon by vendors. Residents will lose their rights. Students of four schools take this route, and it will become unsafe for them. We request the Corporation to remove the board immediately,” he demands.

‘Prevent notification’

Ranganathan Garden resident Sridhar has demanded that the ward councillor prevent the notification of Fifteenth Main Road as a vending zone. “There is a Siva temple in the locality. We do not want vending zones on the stretch that has been peaceful and calm,” he says.

After the resolution was passed by the Corporation Council, the civic body has not sent the proposal to the Tamil Nadu government for gazette notification of the vending and non-vending zones. Once the list of vending and non-vending zones is notified by the government, the civic body will allocate space for vendors.

The Corporation has started receiving letters from residents’ associations, objecting to the list of vending zones in many areas. “The town vending committee will consider the objections and make a decision. We will remove the roads from the list of vending zones if the residents object,” says an official of the Corporation.

The Corporation’s designation of 150 vending and 188 non-vending zones, a year after its vending committee was constituted, has drawn criticism for lack of clarity in the zoning norms, interference of political party members, and delays in issuing corrected identity cards to vendors.

‘No clarity on unlisted areas’

Sandhya Vedullapalli, a civic activist, says that the vending zone list lacks clarity on unlisted areas. Further, in Ward 103, designated vending streets appear insufficient for Anna Nagar’s vendors, raising the question whether the process aligns with guidelines under the Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act, she says.

G. Selva of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) points out that in 2021, more than 900 vending zones were identified, but now it is 150. “In the name of organising, vending zones must not be reduced. Small vendors provide low-income individuals with increased purchasing power, playing a vital role in driving the economic growth. Regional and sub-vending committees must be formed to check on issues related to vending.”

Gopalakannan, a vendor on Anna Salai, received a text message that read: “The Greater Chennai Corporation has requested that street vendors who require any correction in the details on the identity card issued to them take a copy of the issued identity card, mark the required corrections on it, sign it, and submit it along with supporting documents at the respective zonal or divisional office during the special camp to be held from October 19 to 23, 2024.”

‘No new cards yet’

“Many submitted the copies for corrections. But I have not received any update on new cards. When we made enquiries, Corporation officials said the cards had not been printed yet,” Gopalakannan adds. S. Kumar, a vendor for 24 years, says the zonal officials have been saying for three months that new cards will be issued in May at the Royapuram Zonal Office. “Those who were issued new cards were instructed to hand over their old cards. If we received new cards, why would we still have the old ones? We were not informed of the new rules. We continue to use plastic for distributing beverages. The wastewater is discarded down the drain through silt traps,” he says.

Some vendors say that moving to another location would be tough as there may be competition and lack of space. P. Karunanidhi, general secretary of the Chennai Street Vendors’ Association and a member of the Corporation’s vending committee, acknowledges that there is lack of clarity in the norms.

Political interference

“The vending committee and the Corporation have the powers with regard to vending zones and the number of permissible traders who can be issued identity cards. But some councillors and ruling party members interfere in these matters. When higher authorities were informed, instead of rectifying the issues, they asked us to coordinate with the politicians,” another vendor claims.

Denying these allegations, an official of the Corporation’s Revenue and Finance Department says that more than 32,000 cards were issued at camps held in February. “There were roughly 2,500 vendors who requested for changes in the name, the address, and the date of birth in the cards. The changes were made and new cards were issued,” he says.

The Corporation has proposed regional committees for vending and sent the proposal to the government. Once the government approves it, the civic body will start regularising the operations of the vending and non-vending zones and monitor them, the official says.