Allahabad high court gives LMC 6 months to allot space to vendors

LUCKNOW: The Lucknow Municipal Corporation (LMC ) will have to assign vendors fixed selling spots in the city. Responding to a petition filed by the president of Lucknow Footpath Vyapar Samanvay Samiti , the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad high court on Monday directed LMC to implement state's vending regulations within six months.
The Central government in 2007 had directed every state to frame regulations for vendors. The states were told to demarcate between 'vending' and 'non-vending' zones in the city and ensure their strict implementation. But the policy could not be implemented in Uttar Pradesh due to lack of political will and opposition from traders associations.

The HC directive, however, has put LMC in a bind, which is already struggling to find suitable locations for vendors. An LMC official said, "Even after issuing them licence, it would be difficult to implement regulations as there is no free space left in the city. The roads are already packed with vehicles and traffic movement.

Further, construction of Metro rail project would also block a large part of the roads." LMC claims it cannot plan vending policy until a detailed plan for Metro is ready. Officials say they don't have the actual layout plan and have no clue where exactly the pillars and stations would be constructed. The entire Metro route has been planned along major city roads.

The North-South corridor of Metro rail, stretching from Amausi airport to Munshipulia, and East-West corridor from Charbagh to Vasantkunj leave no scope for LMC to place the vendors around the city. "Only a little possibility exists around Charbagh station but it is already so crowded to have space for permanent shops," said a senior LMC official.

Moreover, it is difficult to provide permanent selling spot to each vendor. There are over two lakh street vendors in the city who would be impacted by vending zones. "With time, these vendors tend to visit same place everyday and gradually set up a permanent shop. In fact, hundreds of vendors have set up shops arbitrarily at one place. It will be a tough for us to relocate them. The relocated ones will have objections for those being allowed to stay there. How will you choose?" questioned an official.

Currently, LMC is conducting a survey to find the number and types of vendors and also probable selling locations in city. It has already distributed a standard format to all vendors and expects the survey to complete over next 2 months.

In 2007, a City Vending Committee was set up in Lucknow under mayor comprising high officials to prepare guidelines for vendors. It was decided that vendors would be registered and issued licenses for carrying business activities. It was also decided that the licence of a defaulter would be cancelled in case he was found selling in a non-vending zone. The committee was in charge of ensuring continuation and upgradation of weekly markets and monitoring implementation of vending policy at the ward level.