Panchkula: Following its recent drive against illegal street vendors in parts of the city, the municipal corporation (MC) is set to launch an online registration exercise to streamline street vending and create an updated database of vendors.Unlike the previous survey-based exercise, the civic body will require vendors to register themselves on an online portal. The process will begin with moving vendors, including those operating from rehris and cycles, before being extended to stationary vendors at a later stage.After registration and verification, eligible vendors will be issued identification cards for vending.MC commissioner Vinay Kumar said vendors who were identified during the previous survey would also have to register on the portal.“The earlier survey was conducted a long time ago and the ground situation has changed considerably in terms of vending sites and vendors. This exercise will help us identify active registered vendors as well as those operating without authorisation,” he said.The commissioner said the digitisation drive would help the MC build a credible database of vendors, eliminate duplicate and bogus registrations, and curb sub-letting of vending sites.“Once the data is updated, we will be able to assess the actual number of vendors and create additional vending zones wherever required,” he added.The move comes amid concerns over poor implementation of the Street Vendors Act in the city. Several designated vending sites remain vacant, while many vendors continue to operate from unauthorised locations.Even though the mandatory five-year period has elapsed, no fresh vendor survey has been carried out. Meanwhile, the number of unauthorised vendors has increased over the years despite repeated enforcement drives by the civic body.Encroachments by shopkeepers on public corridors have further aggravated the situation, leaving little space for pedestrians and contributing to congestion and unhygienic conditions in several market areas.
