Chandigarh: The Municipal Corporation’s general house may have passed a resolution recommending shifting of the street-vending zones in Sectors 52 and 53, but officials say the civic body does not have the authority to decide on relocating them, raising questions over the implementation of the move.The resolution was passed on Tuesday, even though the vending zones were developed by the MC after approval from the UT administration’s urban planning department, with substantial expenditure incurred on creating the facilities.Officials said matters concerning street vendors, vending sites and their management fall under the purview of the Town Vending Committee (TVC), which is empowered to deliberate on policy, administrative and management issues related to vending.With Chandigarh facing a shortage of available land, finding alternative sites for the vendors could also prove difficult. Against this backdrop, the timing of the resolution, months ahead of the municipal elections due in December, has also triggered questions over whether the move can be implemented or will remain largely a political statement.“The MC has no role in finalising land for street vendors. That exercise is undertaken by the UT’s urban planning department. Therefore, shifting a vending site does not fall within the MC’s domain,” an MC official said.“Any proposal to shift vending zones, frame policies or provide relief to street vendors has to be considered by the TVC, which takes decisions on such matters,” the official added.Street vending and the management of vending sites in Chandigarh have also been the subject of court proceedings. The matter has reached the Supreme Court in the past, while cases concerning vendors and vending zones are being heard by the Punjab and Haryana high court. Reports concerning the city’s street-vending plan, including details of vendors and vending sites, have also been placed before the courts.Some street vendors affected by earlier relocation decisions have also approached the high court over their shifting to Sector 53.Meanwhile, following court directions, the MC had shifted certain categories of vendors from the essential service provider (ESP) category to the non-essential service provider (N-ESP) category. The civic body subsequently launched an intensive challaning drive against unauthorised vendors across the city and has issued more than 500 challans so far.
