Mockery of no-hawkers’ zone in Sitabuldi

Staff Reporter

When one visits Sitabuldi main road, one comes across several problems – from parking to reaching a particular shop to even passing through this street. Once this main road was narrow, but commuters could easily walk or drive through it. Ironically, ever since the road was widened, commuting on this stretch became difficult. For, people have to navigate through the wanton encroachment by hawkers. The hawkers lure the customers by offering low prices, who fall prey and people do their shopping at the hawker, without entering the shop. The shopkeeper has to watch on helplessly. Due to this, sale of registered shopkeepers has fallen drastically. The conflict between shop-keepers and hawkers at Sitabuldi main road is going on for the last 30 years. This problem could have been resolved long ago, had the then authorities taken measures. Now, it has got aggravated as the number of hawkers has risen to 700 from 70. Despite court orders and written affidavits from the authorities submitted to the court time to time, no action has been taken. The Court in 2000 had categorically observed that, the Sitabuldi Main Road was a non-hawking zone.

The Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act, 2014 prevents the atrocities of street vendors all over India. Further, the law was adopted by State of Maharashtra and the rules were formulated for the same. Rule 11 of Maharashtra Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) (Maharashtra) Rules, 2016 describes about the Constitution of the Town Vending Committee, of which Municipal Commissioner is the Chairman. Sitabuldi Main Road, is a non-hawking zone as per hawking and non-hawking zone policy of the Nagpur Municipal Corporation, October 2001. The list prepared by Traffic Department of Nagpur Police in 2016 had an objection to hawking near Sitabuldi Temple Bazaar, Buty Hospital and Sitabuldi Main Road was mentioned. If the hawkers are allowed to sell on the said roads, the same would affect the movement of traffic and people can face law and order problem.

A shopkeeper on condition of anonymity told ‘The Hitavada’, “Supreme Court had specifically observed that there should be no hawking zone within 100 meters of any place of worship, holy shrine, educational institutions and hospitals and within 150 meters of any municipal or other markets or from railway station. The established shops running at Sitabuldi main road come under ‘other markets’. Going by SC order, no hawking zone be allowed within the 150 meter vicinity of these shops.” The hawkers have not only occupied the footpaths, but are using part near Gateway Regal Theatre at Sitabuldi which is a grade-A heritage site. Some shop-keepers are planning to shut shop due to loss of revenue. Authorities are willfully ignoring the fact that Government is losing huge revenue because of non-removal of hawkers. These hawkers don’t pay any taxes, nor other Government charges. In a rough estimation, Government is losing revenue to the tune of Rs 3 crore at Sitabuldi alone because of allowing hawkers to have a free rein.