The Hindu              03.07.2013

Corporation identifies vending zones

Taking a step forward towards the implementation of the National Policy on Urban Street Vendors, the City Corporation has identified vending zones in each of the four zones in the city.

The national policy recognises street vending as an integral part of the urban retail trade and provides street vendors legal status. Street vendors are to be enumerated ward wise and each street vendor will be registered by the town vending committee and issued identity cards. The policy recommends that municipal authorities provide a range of civic services to street vendors, including allocation of designated areas for their trade.

Keeping in line with the national policy, the Corporation has identified about 80 places, 20 in Srirangam zone, 15 in Golden Rock, 37 in Ariyamangalam and eight in K.Abishekapuram zone, where vendors will be allowed to operate. All other places in the city will be treated as non-vending zones. The list of vending zones was approved by the Corporation Council recently and is expected to be notified soon.

Significantly, the list of vending zones does not include roads in the city’s main commercial area such as the NSB Road, Big Bazaar Street, Singarathope and Nandhi Kovil Street, where a large number of vendors operate everyday. Enquiries revealed that the Corporation was planning to accommodate the vendors operating in these areas on the Old Goodshed Road and a few other places.

The Corporation Council has already approved the constitution of a town vending committee to register street vendors as laid down in the national policy. The town vending committee will be empowered to collect a fee and monthly maintenance charge, depending on the location and type of business.

The Corporation would now collect applications from vendors to register them, allocate sites and issue identity cards. Based on the number of applications received, the Corporation would decide the list of vendors for each place.