With little development, the proposed market complex for street vendors at Jaipal Singh Stadium seems to be a distant dream. The Ranchi Municipal Corporation (RMC) seems to be dragging its feet over the project.
From past three and a half year Jharkhand Sikhshit Berozgar Foothpath Dukandar Mahasangh (JSBFDM) is fighting for the rights of the street vendors demanding easing availability of land for the new marketing complex but the state Government has turn a deaf ear to their demand.
The JSBFDM president Kaushal Kishore said, “Although officials of Ranchi Municipal Corporation (RMC) are ready to provide us land but are not ready to provide written assurance about the same. We are demanding a written consent along with an NOC from the State Sports department stating no issue will be raised from the department’s end after the street vendors’ market comes on the land of Jaipal Singh Stadium. But our demands have been turned down stating land will not be an issue.”
Under National Policy on Urban Street Vendors 2009, the Supreme Court (SC) has ordered the State Government and municipal bodies that within 120 days they have to erect a structure of marketing complex for street vendors. Ironically only 20 days are left for the accomplishment of SC orders and municipal body is not taken any concrete step in this direction.
“We have been pressing for our demand and have written numerous letters to Chief Minister Hemant Soren and the Governor to draw their attention on the problems of street vendors but to no avail,” added Kishore.
When RMC Deputy Mayor Sanjeev Vijayvargiya was asked about the matter he shifted the ball to street vendors’ committee court. He said, “RMC is providing them land and has also promised to fund the plan of constructing a market complex but members of JSBFDM are pressing unnecessary demands. We will follow the orders of the SC and within the stipulated time period the orders will be carried out.”