GHMC to zero in on street vending zones

​Hyderabad: The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) is all set to implement the Street Vendors Act, 2014, from October 2. Corporation Commissioner B Janardhan Reddy has directed the Urban Community Development (UCD) officials to identify streets and suitable locations in each circle for vending zones, within a week.

According to the GHMC officials, community resources people (CRP) would conduct a survey to find suitable locations for vending zones in all 24 circles. The vending zones would be divided into three categories - vending zone, partial vending zone and no vending zone.

The Corporation officials claimed that the GHMC’s UCD wing has so far identified about 1.5 lakh street vendors across the GHMC limits. The street vendors would be issued identity cards and vending certificates after they pay the registration fee of Rs 150 per person. The same would be applicable for renewal of certificates after three years.

A senior GHMC official told ‘The Hans India’ that the Corporation would regularise all street vendors, including mobile vendors. He said that the priority would be given to the persons belonging to scheduled castes, scheduled tribes, disabled, backward castes, women of deprived and vulnerable categories and minorities.

He also said that the Corporation would link the vendors to nationalised banks in order to help them get loans. He said that the Corporation would spend about Rs 250 crore per year to facilitate the street vendors.

Each vending zone would have 100 to 200 vendors depending on the land available. This move the Corporation feels, would facilitate in ensuring free flow of traffic. He said that the demarcation of vending would be completed within a week.