NEW DELHI: Delhi government on Tuesday issued an order permitting 92 authorised street vendors in the Sarojini Nagar market to operate their stalls closed in wake of the Covid pandemic.
It has also directed New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) and Delhi Police to ensure no encroachment takes place in the area.
The order states that “it has come to the knowledge that thareja tehbazari is not allowed to open in the Sarojini Nagar market while as per Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA), all markets, malls and market complexes are permitted to open from 10am to 8pm.
Therefore, it is once again iterated to allow these NDMC-authorised street vendors (92) in compliance with DDMA’s order.” The circular also directs NDMC’s enforcement director and the station house officer of the Sarojini Nagar police station to ensure that no unauthorised vendor/hawker operates in the area and no shopkeeper encroaches upon the way meant for movement of customers.
The order makes the market traders’ associations and the shopkeepers responsible for the compliance of the Covid-appropriate protocols.” The enforcement director of NDMC has been asked to furnish a daily report on the matter.
“Any non-compliance will attract relevant action as per IPC and DDMA Act,” it adds.
Officials of the district administration visited the market on Tuesday evening to take stock of the situation.
Bansilal Grover, chairman of Thareja Tehbazari Welfare Association at the Sarojini Nagar market, said, “We made the request to the lieutenant governor, the district magistrate and other officials explaining that despite the DDMA order and paying the rent regularly to the civic body, we are not allowed to open even after 15 days of the order.
This is biased and leading to losses.” Stating that they are aware of the current situation, Grover said they won’t allow encroachment from their side.
The decision has, however, got permanent shopkeepers worried.
Ashok Randhawa, president of Mini Market Traders Association, said, “The subdivisional magistrate took the round of the area in the evening wherein we clarified that we are not against the vendors, but their operation can increase congestion and maintaining social distance will become even more difficult.
For a temporary phase, they can be shifted to another place.” Ashok Kalra, general secretary of Sarojini Nagar Market Association (big shops), also made the same demand.
“We have clarified to the department that the market associations should not be held responsible in the given circumstances if social distancing norms are violated.
We are not against the vendors and they are like us.
All we want is to shift them temporarily to a nearby open site.”