‘Frame policy for itinerant vendors’
MUMBAI: The Bombay High Court on Tuesday directed the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to consider framing a policy to facilitate mobile street vendors as part of its efforts to tackle unlicensed hawking in the city. The court highlighted the benefits of such a policy citing examples of cities in other countries and directed the BMC to classify permissible goods for mobile vendors and determine vending timings considering the needs of different neighbourhoods.
Emphasising on the potential of framing a policy to allow itinerant vendors with licenses to sell their wares in designated locations in the city for regulated time periods, the bench comprising justices GS Patel and Kamal Khata said, “Inclusion of such vendors raises a possibility which is unexplored in the city.”
The court, while hearing a suo motu public interest litigation on illegal hawking obstructing public accessways and footpaths, cited examples from major cities like London and New York which have a policy for mobile vendors. It emphasised the advantage of such a policy, stating, “This policy...prevents anyone from claiming permanence over a particular space” but accords a right to vend under license in designated areas during specific time slots.
The court acknowledged the existence of a policy concept in the Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act, 2014. It rued the lack of implementation of the policy and instructed the BMC to classify permissible goods for mobile vendors and determine vending timings considering the needs of different neighborhoods. It also highlighted the need for a dual-purpose scheme which keeps areas free of encroachment yet accommodates vendors. In earlier hearings, the bench had suggested the adoption of a rotational hawking zone for unlicensed hawkers to prevent encroachments. BMC counsel SU Kamdar had acknowledged the absence of a scheme to address the issue, prompting the court’s directives.
On Tuesday, the court stressed on the need for a localised approach, which recognises that what works in one area may not be suitable for others.