THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: How will I survive?” asks 50-year-old Shylaja, a street vendor who has been slapped with an eviction notice by the Public Works Department (PWD).
“I have been given three days to move. The only wish I have is to live with dignity. If I get evicted, I would be forced to live on the streets, begging for money. It would be better to end this life than to lead such a miserable life.”
Shylaja, who has been a street vendor for 26 years, stresses she is not crying for charity. “All I ask for is to let me earn my bread, nothing more,” she says, adding that she has a street vending ID card issued by the corporation.
“I live in a rented house and need Rs 700 per week for buying medicines. I don’t have the financial capability to pay for a space to set up a shop.” Like Shylaja, many street vendors in the city face the threat of eviction, as the corporation has failed to implement the Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act, 2014.
“I have been running a shop at Palayam for the past seven years. Now I am being evicted by the Trivandrum Development Authority (TRIDA),” says street vendor Leela B. “They confiscated my belongings and asked me to move out. This is my only source of income. I have two children to look after, and a huge housing loan to repay.”
Street vendors allege that trade unions have been illegally collecting money from them, promising ‘protection’. “I have been giving Rs 2,500 every month to a trade union leader,” says Leela. “The pandemic threw my life out of gear, and I couldn’t give the money. Now they are trying to evict me.”
Notably, street vending has mushroomed in the capital city following the pandemic. Civic authorities, observers note, have miserably failed to restrict illegal entrants and protect the livelihood of the traditional vendors.
According to a recent corporation survey, there are over 3,000 street vendors in the city. Over 1,000 of them are new, say officials. “It’s been nearly eight years since the Street Vendors Act came into effect. Apart from issuing a few ID cards, the civic authorities have hardly taken any concrete measures to designate vending zones or form town vending committees,” laments Seetha Dasan of the Kerala Street Vendors Forum.
“Trade unions and local politicians have been exploiting the vendors. Also, the civic authorities have failed to curb unauthorised vending. Regular vending committee meetings are not happening to address such issues.” Seetha adds elections should be conducted to select the vendors’ representatives who would be part of the town vending committee. “Without issuing cards and finalising the vendors’ list, this cannot happen,” she says.
Though three smart vending zones are being planned, they would be able to accommodate only a small percentage of existing street vendors. “The law offers protection to deserving vendors. Here illegal vending is mushrooming and some of them own multiple shops,” says Seetha. “This is happening with the silent support of political parties and the corporation.”
30 vending zones identified
As part of the implementation of the Street Vendors Act, the corporation has identified about 30 vending zones in the city. Corporation officials say vendors in the designated zones would be provided with basic infrastructure. According to an official of the National Urban Livelihood Mission (NUML), the draft vending policy has been submitted to the welfare standing committee and, soon it would be tabled for council approval.
“Recently the ad hoc town-planning committee met and many decisions were taken. A sub-committee has been formed to review the draft vendors’ list,” says the official. “The plan is to finalise the list by August 5. Then, all vendors will be issued ID cards.”
Smart vending zone at RKV Lane to be opened soon
The first-ever designated smart vending zone by the Smart City Thiruvananthapuram Ltd is set to be inaugurated soon. The vending zone at RKV Lane in the city aims to rehabilitate street vendors and hawkers on the museum and Sooryakanthi premises. The zone is expected to end unorganised vending activities that were disrupting pedestrian movement, says a corporation official.
At least 16 traditional vendors at RKV Lane will be rehabilitated to the new zone, which was constructed at a cost of Rs 3 crore. As many as 36 modules that can accommodate 46 vendors have been set up as part of the project, the official adds.
Vendors’ mela
As part of the Azadi ka Amrut Mahotsav, the corporation will organise a vendors’ mela next month. The programme intends to spread awareness among street vendors about the Central government’s SVANidhi (PM Street Vendor’s Atma Nirbhar Nidhi) scheme.
The scheme offers loans to street vendors and aims to empower street vendors and make them self-reliant. Sources say at least 100 vendors would take part in the mela. “We are planning to conduct it during the second week of August. There will be cultural events, too,” says a corporation official.
‘Strict action against illegal vendors’
Mayor Arya Rajendran says illegal street vending has “exponentially increased” off late. “We have received a lot of complaints. A subcommittee has been formed to look into the issue,” she adds. “Some of the vendors illegally run multiple shops. Strict action will be taken against such elements.” Arya adds that a designated vending zone at RKV Lane and a vendors’ mela will be launched without delay. “We are waiting to confirm the dates of the chief minister,” says the mayor.