Regardless of several attempts to drive out the street vendors sitting alongside the busiest roads that leaves out a few major avenues in total muddle during peak hours, the Ranchi Municipal Corporation’s (RMC) anti-encroachment drive launched recently seem futile. Ironically, maximum hawkers who were shifted from the no vending zones to other locations free from hustle bustle have yet again made their comeback.
Notably, in the wake of the inauguration of the first state-of-the-art Vendors Market set to make its debut in mid November, the Municipal Corporation had recently launched a massive anti-encroachment drive to clear all main itineraries. The Civic Body has demarcated the route from Kutchery Chowk to the busiest Albert Ekka Chowk as a ‘No Vending Zone’.
The lanes leading towards the MG Road is the prime choice of the street sellers who often put up their stalls alongside of these locations creating major traffic snarl. Recently, senior officials of the Municipal Corporation along with the enforcement cell of RMC had come out on the street and had removed street sellers in significant number from the ‘No Vending Zone’ including MG Marg.
“Regular anti-encroachment drive is being conducted by the Municipal Corporation. However, the street vendors are yet not ready to leave Main Roads and other busy routes, citing various reasons.
Also, the survey of street vendors, being conducted at present here at MG Road is posing a major hurdle in completely shifting the hawkers from this prime site,” said RMC City Manager, Saurabh Kumar.
According to the municipal corporation data, more than 470 street vendors will be given shops inside the vendors market. In the survey conducted by RMC in association with Samman Foundation a few months back had identified 5,901 street vendors.
Also, in order to accommodate street vendors in good number, the municipal corporation is planning to expand the project and identify a few more vending zones within urban vicinity considering population, requirement, traffic condition of a particular locality.
Notably, for accommodating as many as 470 street vendors, shops are getting furnished with all amenities at the State’s biggest Vendors Market. As per the blueprint of this structure, around 107 big size shops have been created inside the Vendors Complex.
The second top floor of the marketing complex has been designed keeping in mind the requirements of corporate offices. 23 corporate offices, banks and other private or public sector undertakings can get their offices set up here. A banquet hall, a conference hall including a cafeteria has been constructed on the top floor of this building.
In the double basement parking, nearly 190 four wheelers can be parked.