The ongoing anti-encroachment drive at MG Road might have brought some respite for the pedestrians and motorists but the situation remains the same for the street vendors, who despite having a dedicated place are forced to put their shops along the busiest routes.
Ranchi Municipal Corporation’s (RMC) ambitious project – Atal Smriti Vendors’ Market at Kutchery Road is yet to become operational. Inaugurated amidst much fanfare in mid November 2018, the mega structure designed with all basic amenities is lying inoperative since December 2018. As per an official associated with the project, the Municipal Corporation is yet to complete the exercise of roping in a competent Operation and Maintenance (O&M) agency.
An Expression of Interest (EoI) was floated for the newly constructed vendors’ market in December 2018. “Three agencies have showed their interest in the Vendors’ Market operation. The documentation work is going on. Taking into account all the clauses of the bidding agency, the project will be handed over to the suitable company soon,” said RMC City Manager and In-charge of DAY-NULM programme, Vikas Kumar.
“The final data of the street vendors’ has been finalised. As many as 520 street vendors have been selected. However, in accordance to the new rule, no street food vendors are allowed to put their stalls inside the vendors’ complex. Hence, in the first phase, only 130 street vendors will be allocated place there,” the City Manager added.
During the inauguration, it was announced that 127 street vendors will be settled down inside the marketing complex immediately.
However, considering the intervention of the members of Town Vending Committee (TVC), the shifting process was kept on hold. The vendors’ market has a capacity of accommodating 472 street vendors’. “The time was consumed in resolving the claims and objections received from the applicants. In accordance to the rule, the Municipal Corporation cannot start the operation of the vendors’ market without hiring an O&M agency,” Kumar further added.
Out of 36,831 identified street vendors, as many as 5,901 street vendors are from Ranchi, as per the State government’s record. Around 16,141 Identity (ID) cards have been distributed among the street vendors across the State, while 238 street vendors have been linked with banking facilities.
The building (G+5) that covers a carpet area of 2,94,240 sq. feet with basement, a banquet hall, a cafeteria, 23 offices, 472 kiosks, 108 shops is the biggest Vendors Market of the State with all State-of-the- Art facilities. Constructed at a cost of Rs. 54 crore granted by the Government of Jharkhand (GoJ), it has advanced facilities ranging from CCTV cameras, fire extinguishers, public announcement systems, advance parking service for better crowd management and maintenance.