Govt comes out with draft rules to regulate street vending

Hawking zones to be demarcated in all urban areas in Karnataka

 Savouring pani puri from the local chaatwala at the street corner, to buying flowers, fruits and vegetables from pushcart sellers is going to be regulated.

The urban development department has finally come out with draft rules that proposes to regulate street vending through demarcation of vending zones and at the same time protect the right of hawkers. 

Once the rules are finalised, the government will constitute Town Vending Committees (TVCs) in every urban local body including Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike that will look into allotment of space to street vendors, look after their social security and also facilitate various benefits provided by the government.

Implementation of the rules is expected to curb complaints of harassment of street vendors by the police and local authorities besides checking illegal hawking.

The Centre had passed the Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act in 2014. However, Karnataka had not notified the rules to give effect to the law. The urban development department has now come out with the English version of the Karnataka Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood of Street Vendors) draft rules, 2016 and the Kannada version will be published soon.

One month time to file objections and suggestions, if any, will be provided once the Kannada version is notified, sources in the department said. The TVC will comprise officials including the municipal commissioner. Non-official members will comprise representatives of street vendors, market and trade organisations and NGOs. Elections are to be held to select the non-official members.

  Any person intending to undertake street vending needs to register with the TVC and apply for a vending certificate. The duration of the TVC will be for three years.

According to the draft rules, the panel can also suggest changes in vending zones taking into consideration road dimension, vehicular and pedestrian movement. Based on the recommendation of the local authority, the TVC can also declare market regions including festive market, night bazaar and season market.

Survey of street vendors

The department of municipal administration is conducting a survey of street vendors in various urban local bodies except in Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike region. The Palike on its own  has also commenced the survey in its jurisdiction. Based on street vendor surveys, street vending zones will be demarcated and conditions imposed. These surveys will be providing information on high and low footfall areas from the street vending angle.