Delay in implementation of Street Vending Act will deepen mess on roads for citizens and promotes corruption besides constant source of harassment for poor street vendors
JAMMU: Even as authorities in Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir is busy devising ways and means for utilization of funds worth crores to “galvanize” Jammu as Smart City, the abject failure of Jammu Municipal Corporation as well as other allied departments to regulate ever swelling hawkers as per street vending Act has become major cause of traffic congestion in the city of temples which results in jeopardizing life of motorists and pedestrians on roads.
There are hardly any footpaths and roads in city spared from encroachment by street vendors which operate through an organized network of Rehri mafia in connivance with sanitation wing of JMC and karyakhass of SHOs.
Despite the fact that Rehri is a source of livelihood for substantial population of poor fellow countrymen who earn livelihood by working hard besides acting as link between the formal sector and consumers but still considered as big nuisance. This is due to apathetic attitude of administration as well as local netas and influential Rehri mafias who never wants regularization of street vendors. The JMC Councillors are also under fire from general public for protecting and encouraging encroachment of footpaths and roads in several parts of city.
There is a gang of employees in JMC who collect money on monthly basis from Rehri Mafia in lieu of assurance for hurdle free operation of their eateries at vital locations along roadsides and chowks in the city. Large scale presence of illegal vendors in city as compared to licensed hawkers also indicts influence of rehri mafia on the functioning of JMC as well as SHOs of respective jurisdiction.
In some areas, scores of small time petty politicians also managing network of street vendors in their respective areas as additional source of income. Recent constructions of ten permanent kiosks after encroaching upon big chunk of ever busy road in Sainik Colony, encroachment of footpaths at Rani Park as well as Indira Chowk besides encroachment of road and open space in areas like, Railway station road, Bagad Mandi, Purani Mandi, Green Belt park Gandhi Nagar, Narwal, Transport Nagar and public space adjoining Hotel Raddison are some of the glaring example of it.
Expressing concern over the sorry state of affairs prevailing on roads due to uncontrolled growth of street vendors, aggrieved shopkeepers of Mini Market Green Belt said “Commuting on road near Housing Board have become hell due to encroachment of road with impunity by vendors who installed tandoors and setting up temporary shops with sheds on roads and footpaths”. This is failure of law and order, complained one shopkeeper.
The cops and officials of JMC instead of acting against these illegal vendors were seen enjoying cup of tea, breakfast, snacks, fruit salads and lunch from morning to evening as part of permanent hospitality offered to them by road encroachers. This is ridiculous and shameful, avers a shopkeeper of Mini Market, Green Belt Park, Gandhi Nagar.
Without finding solution to vexed problem of illegal rehris which have almost encroached upon every nook and corner of city, it’s weird to claim credit for upgrading Jammu as Smart City, said a senior officer of Traffic Police Department. They need to rise to the occasion and realign the directionless growth of street vendors in the city, added another officer of Traffic Police Department.
Reliable sources in administration blamed laggard approach of JMC authorities as well as complete absence of coordination between different government departments that are entrusted with job of ensuring development of city as per accepted civic norms.
Lamenting harassment and extortion at the hands of municipal employees and police, Ram Kumar, street vendor says “No one is really interested in setting this chaos right. On monthly basis municipal employees collect Rs.400 and handover a GR of Rs 100 for allowing us to operate on footpath and roadside and before leaving they took away a bag full of vegetables and fruits free of cost”.
Blaming the higher-ups in Housing and Urban Development for mess on road as well as harassment of street vendors, an officer of JMC preferring anonymity said “On May 01, 2014, the Street Vending Act was came into force and this was fully applicable to J&K after abrogation of Article 370”. Nothing is done on ground to ensure hassle free space for street vendors so as to curb their sprawling growth in city, he added.
Further giving details, the officer said “ This Act envisage setting up of Town Vending Committee (TVC) comprising municipal commissioner as chairperson and officers drawn from other departments including town planning, police, traffic and JDA”. Then TVC have to carry survey Vis viz areas/ existing vendors and creates zones where all the street vendors of a locality will be placed with license, he added.
Irony of the matter is that the much talked Rehri Zone created by the JMC long ago visible only on papers, reveals an officer of Housing and Urban Development Department. The lone Rehri Zone which is operating along roadside opposite Gandhi Nagar church is also functioning in contradiction to road safety and health standard norms as it’s located in close vicinity of open nallah as well as encroaching upon bylane stretch of National Highway.
JK Global News view point: Currently, there is no political dispensation which usually known for protecting bad guys and stalling good initiatives because of their personal interests. Since August 5, 2019, the LG led Union Territory of J&K is directly governed by the Ministry of Home Affairs. Every Central laws and acts are equally applicable in J&K. Two years is much time for discussions and meetings and Babus in Civil Secretariat needs to accelerate process for speedy implementation of Street Vending Act to add real meaning to Smart City which so far only visible in haphazard installed sign boards. If need arise, there is no harm in drawing inspiration from the then Governor of erstwhile J&K state Late Sh. Jagmohan Malhotra who created a beautiful garden for Jammuites out of a vast piece of hell created by businessmen in Rani Park near Sabzi Mandi. Further delay will only strengthen hands of corrupt who are hell bend to change the City of Temples into City of Rehris/Fharis. Current prevailing scenario outside Rani Park, Railway station Road, Shivaji Chowk, Sainik Colony, Purani Mandi and Indira Chowk are ready references.