Sitabuldi shopkeepers and people heaved a sigh of relief as Traffic Police issued a notification regarding vehicle parking. Now people can park vehicles as notified by traffic cops. Taking cognisance of problems being faced by people, Nagpur Municipal Corporation had taken steps last week and removed the encroachments on the road. Immediately, Traffic Police Department got into action and enforced parking rules. As per new parking rules on Sitabuldi main road, two-wheelers shall be parked on the left side of the road from Bala Footwear at Variety Square to Raja Opticals. Two-wheelers shall be parked on the left side of the road from Silky Lingerie shop to Khadi Gram Udyog shop.

 

 

 

Two-wheelers are to be parked on the left side of the road from Joshi Ice Cream to the old Parekh Jewellers shop, excluding the area in front of Rajaram Library Gate, the road towards Temple Bazar, and the gate in front of Rakesh Telange’s house. Four-wheelers shall be parked on the right side of Sitabuldi Main Road from Bata Showroom at Variety Square to Novelty. Four-wheelers are to be parked on the right side of Sitabuldi Main Road from Bombaywala shop to Dream Shoppee. Two-wheelers shall be parked on the right side of Sitabuldi main road from Venkatesh Market to Parekh Jewellers shop, excluding the roads leading to Modi No 1, 2, and 3.

 

The notification issued by Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Archit Chandak clearly says, ‘As per the notification, no hawkers will be permitted to set up their stalls or establishments within 30 metres of the designated roads and turns mentioned above.’ This notification is made effective from May 19, 2025, and will remain in force until further orders. Usually, police or civic authorities keep taking such actions but they are not monitored or the status is not maintained. Sitabuldi main road has been facing the hawkers’ problem since long. On several occasions, the authorities removed encroachment, enforced rules but the action was not followed strictly. The shopkeepers had to knock the court’s doors.

 

The case is still pending in High Court. “We will strictly implement the parking guidelines here at Sitabuldi main road. Already 11 such roads for on street parking have been identified and notification has taken out. People are facing a lot of problems and we will surely resolve the issues for which measures are being taken,” assured Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Archit Chandak. While talking to ‘The Hitavada’, Vijay Agrawal, Secretary, Sitabuldi Merchants Association, explained, “The case is still pending in the High Court. But the action of removal of encroachment is taken on the orders of Town Vending Committee. In 2016, such action was taken by NMC. Sitabuldi main road did not have hawkers’ encroachment for eight days. The hawkers were given the alternative space near Netaji Market. No hawker moved to that place. Gradually, they came back leading to several difficulties on the road. This time the hawkers have been given a place near Maharajbag.”

 

Rule 11 of the said 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 committee has the right to take such action as was initiated in Sitabuldi main road case. Municipal Commissioner heads the Town Vending Committee. The committee has eight members from the hawkers category. The committee heard both sides.

 

According to sources, nobody from hawkers attended three consecutive meetings. Finally, Municipal Commissioner Dr Abhijeet Chaudhary took strong action and the hawkers were asked to move out of the place. According to Agrawal, the issue is complicated in the sense as most hawkers are not authorised one. In last 10 years, the situation has changed and only a few authorised hawkers remained. Revenue Minister and Nagpur’s Guardian Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule too had announced that a separate hawkers zone would be created. But no step has been taken yet. The conflict between shop-keepers and hawkers at Sitabuldi main road has been going on for the more than 30 years. This problem could have been resolved long ago, had the then authorities taken measures. Now it has aggravated as the number of hawkers rose to 700 from 70. Despite court orders and written affidavits from the authorities submitted to the court from time-to-time, no action has been taken.

 

The Court in the year 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 the State of Maharashtra and the rules were formulated for the same. A shopkeeper, on condition of anonymity, told ‘The Hitavada’, “Supreme Court had specifically observed that there should be no hawking zone within 100 meters from any place of worship, holy shrine, educational institutions and hospitals and within 150 meters from 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.”