NEW DELHI: Traders at Sarojini Nagar Market have raised objections to a recent NDMC survey aimed at reassigning vending zones, calling it ill-planned and impractical. The traders’ association expressed concern that the vending committee is conducting the survey without first defining clear vending zones.
They warned that the move could force unregistered small vendors out of business, as they risk losing their space due to a lack of proper regulation.
In a letter addressed to the NDMC, the Sarojini Nagar Market Shopkeepers Association (SMSA) alleged that the survey is unlawfully including unverified and previously absent individuals, particularly in designated No-Vending Zones like G-Avenue.
These actions, according to the association, are promoting illegal vending, disturbing market order, and threatening the rights of genuine, long-standing vendors.
Despite prior surveys in 2015 and 2018 listing only around 190 vendors, the current survey is reportedly exceeding those numbers and disregarding past data submitted on affidavit by the NDMC, the association stated.
The association highlighted that individuals with pending court cases are being included in the survey process, potentially compromising ongoing legal proceedings. “The SMSA fears that such actions indicate possible corruption and monetary manipulation within the survey process,” it added.
SMSA has urged the council to suspend the current survey, exclude all No-Vending Zones—especially G-Avenue, list new claimants separately without merging them with verified vendors, ensure strict document verification, exclude vendors with pending court cases, include SMSA representatives in the survey process.