663 street vendors will be allotted stalls in new vending zones, says Mangaluru Mayor

Mangaluru City Corporation to allot stalls to 663 street vendors in new vending zones, improving facilities for vendors.

All the 663 street vendors will be allotted stalls in the new vending zones being built by Mangaluru City Corporation in the next two months, said Mayor Sudheer Shetty Kannur in Mangaluru on Thursday, August 22.

Talking to reporters after inspecting 93 stalls that Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) has built in the new vending zone that has come up near the Service bus stand in Hampankatta, Mr. Kannur said in addition to 93 stalls, 30 more stalls will come up in Hampankatta vending zone. These 120-odd stalls will be allotted shortly by draw of lots, in the presence of members of MCC’s Town Vending Committee and representatives of Beedibadi Vyaparastara Kshemabhivrudhi Sangha. The vendors can sit and sell in these stalls.

The process of allotment of stalls in Hampakatta will be completed in a fortnight. The work of laying interlock tiles, providing drinking water and other basic facilities in Hampankatta zone will start from Friday, August 23.

Mr. Kannur said shortly, a resolution will be passed in the MCC council for the construction of vending zones in Central Market, Urwa, and other wards of the city. Allotment of stalls will be done after vendors submit the mandatory affidavit, he said.

The Mayor agreed to the demand by Mohammmed Asif, the treasurer of Beedibadi Vyaparastara Kshemabhivrudhi Sangha, for creating an opening for Hampankatta Vending Zone near Indira Canteen. Sangha’s president Mohammed Mustafah said street vendors will submit affidavit only if it is as per the prevailing norms.

Denying reports that the process of issuing identity cards to vendors was delayed as majority of vendors were from a community, Harish Poojary, the General Secretary of the Sangha and member of MCC’s Town Vending Committee, said all identified vendors will shortly receive the identity cards.

“We are happy with MCC’s initiative in creating better facilities for street vendors,” Mr. Poojary said.