The Corporation announced on Wednesday that it would not allow street
vendors to put up stalls on the Palayam-Attakulangara road and the
Overbridge-Thampanoor road during Onam. Violators will be evicted, the
Corporation Secretary said.

 Instead, the civic body intends to
provide space for the vendors on Central Theatre Road, Putharikandam
Maidan and the Attakulangara-Enchakkal Road. This is a temporary
arrangement in view of Onam, and it will be available only for the
period between August 26 and September 3.

 Vendors, however, have
to clear many hurdles before they get space allotted in the designated
areas. They have to present themselves at the Corporation garage with an
application with a copy of the Voter’s ID and three passport-size
photographs. The applications will be received up to Friday.

 The
vendors also must clear a police verification, according to the
Corporation. In reality, the Corporation has a tough job in hand. The
Onam sales are in full swing already and the stretches banned to hawkers
are already crowded with them.

 Also, many of the vendors are
from outside the State, who have journeyed all the way from northern
states to make the most of the Onam market here. But the Corporation’s
justification is that hawking is regulated on the said stretches during
Onam season.