Greater Chennai Corporation to start earmarking spaces for street vendors in the city this week

Greater Chennai Corporation earmarks 24-sq.ft spaces for street vendors in specific zones, aiming to boost vendor income and public convenience.

The Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) will start earmarking a 24-sq.ft spaces for street vendors on roads and footpaths in the city this week.

Four stretches, including Pantheon Lane at ward 61 in Royapuram zone; West Avenue Road at ward 37 in Tondiarpet zone; Park Road at ward 90 in Ambattur zone, and Besant Nagar Second Avenue at ward 174 in Adyar zone will get these spaces.

GCC Commissioner J. Kumaragurubaran said more vending zones on other roads would be earmarked soon. “We have decided to replace the existing cards of street vendors with chip-based identity cards. Old cards will be recalled and collected. Next week, 15 additional vending and non-vending zones will be earmarked. Data correction camps have already been conducted,” he said.

In the first phase, the GCC will earmark spaces for 94 streets vendors in the city’s north region, 45 in the central region, and 47 in the south region. The declaration of Pantheon Lane as a vending zone is based on a court direction.

CPI(M) Chennai Central District Secretary G. Selva said the vendors were worried as the GCC has planned to reduce the number of vending zones even after data pointed to a rise in the number of street vendors in the last five years.

“The vending zones should be designed properly based on the findings of the field visit of the vending committee in each of the 15 zones. The vending zones provide employment for a large number of educated youth. GCC should protect the livelihood of all street vendors. It should carry out another survey to identify the number of street vendors. The previous survey was conducted by a private entity,” Mr. Selva said.

S. Kumararaja of the Federation of Residents’ Association-Velachery, said the allocation of 24 sq.ft for street vendors was going to be a hassle for the public.