CHENNAI: The corporation Council has approved the notification of 150 vending zones and 188 non-vending zones, totalling 338, spread across the 15 administrative zones of the city.
Royapuram Zone has the highest number of vending zones at 26, followed by Manali (Zone 2) with 19 zones and Thiru. Vi. Ka. Nagar (Zone 6) with 18 zones. Thiru Vi Ka Nagar also leads in the number of non-vending zones, with a total of 45. In contrast, Sholinganallur (Zone 15) and Perungudi (Zone 14) have relatively fewer vending zones, with only two and three respectively. However, the zones have a higher number of non-vending zones, with 15 and 16, respectively.
Some of the streets in which vending zones are marked include TNPSC Road, Pantheon Lane, MH Road, Ormes Road and Sivanthi Adithanar Road among others.
As per the corporation’s standard operating procedure, no vending will be allowed within 100 metres of educational institutions. Additionally, 22 roads, previously declared as ‘No Parking’ zones by the police, have been designated as non-vending zones.
Signboards will be installed in all vending and non-vending zones and vending zones will be clearly demarcated. The size of the shops located in vending zones will be 6x4 feet, with a two-foot space between stalls.
The guidelines for designating vending and non-vending zones state that a road must be at least 5 feet wide to allow vending on one side, and 10 metres wide for vending on both sides. Vending is prohibited within 100 to 150 metres around key public spaces such as railway stations, temples, parks, large markets, courts, fire stations, and important government offices.
These zones were declared by the 14-member Town Vending Committee, headed by the Chennai Corporation Commissioner, which was formed on August 7, 2023. Four meetings of the committee were held between September 2024 and March 2025 to finalise these zones.