The Hindu         29.01.2015  

Training to vendors ahead of formation of zones

Row of pavement shops on Nethaji Road in the city.— Photo: S. James

The city corporation will organise training sessions for
street vendors as a first step towards formation of vending zones in
the city.

The programme, which is being initiated
under the Urban Street Vendors Scheme as a part of the National Urban
Livelihoods Mission (NULM), will seek to form vending zones in every
area where vendors will be provided with infrastructure and other
facilities to carry out business.

“A survey
undertaken by the NULM identified 6,993 street vendors within the
corporation limits. They will soon be issued identity cards and
classified based on the corporation zone they belong to,” said V.
Rajendran, Assistant Project Director, NULM.

“The
areas for the vending zones will be identified based on the
concentration of street vendors and footfall of people. These organised
vending zones are aimed at protecting street vendors from harassment and
also giving them a proper identity and space for their livelihood,” he
added.

As part of the training, functioning of the
zones and facilities required for their functioning would be explained
to the street vendors. More than 60 street vendors identified from
Madurai North Zone – most of them from Mattuthavani area – would
participate in the first phase of the initiative.

“The
programme will be conducted in a phased manner following which
identification of locations for vending zones will be initiated. Spaces
owned by the city corporation at those locations will be earmarked for
construction of facilities for street vendors,” an official said.