All street vendors of Telangana, who sell fruits, vegetables, and other products on the roadsides, are now set to be designated specific zones and modern vending carts, in accordance with a new policy of the state government. New vending zones are being set up across the state, where registered street vendors will be accommodated, to provide an easy working environment where their livelihood will not get affected in any way.
As the new comprehensive urban area development programme of the Telangana government, called ‘Pattana Pragathi’, is being rolled out across the whole state, Narayanpet has emerged as the first district in Telangana to implement this policy on the ground level, by designating special areas to street vendors with state-of-the-art vending carts, designated dustbins, and washing areas.
ISSUES FACED BY STREET VENDORS
Earlier, before this policy was implemented in Narayanpet, street vendors used to sit on the roads during peak traffic times to sell their products. This not only raised questions about the hygiene of the products like fruits and vegetables they were selling, but also the safety of the vendors and the buyers. Due to such prevailing situations, the administration took up the state’s ‘Pattana Pragathi’ policy promptly and started the work of creating specific zones for these vendors in the towns.
SPECIFIC VENDOR ZONES
At first, the administration created a setup for 20 street vendors in Kosgi Municipality of Narayanpet. Kosgi is a small town in the Narayanpet district, which caters to a population of 40 thousand people.
While speaking to Indian Masterminds, Narayanpet District Collector, Mr. Hari Chandana Dasari, IAS, said “Such designated vendor zones are coming up in the whole district for the registered street vendors. Kosgi is the first town to implement this policy in Narayanpet. This will help the vendors to sell their products safely in crowded areas and in a hygienic manner.”
This was the first separate designated safe vending area for registered street vendors in small towns. Loans were previously given to street vendors to sustain themselves during Covid lockdown times, the officer mentioned.
BENEFITS
Under this urban development programme, it is mandated to use hygenic carts and the task of making them was delegated to the district officers. In Narayanpet, steel and plastic-covered semi-permanent carts are being made at a cost of Rs 85 thousand. They are then being assigned to the street vendors of the district.
There are 20 women who are primarily fruit sellers, bhajji, chat and street food vendors, who have been given stalls for their trade. The vending zone is located in the busiest part of the town between the bus stop and the hospital, making it even better for the vendors to sell their products.
With the implementation of this programme, the Telangana government’s aim is to provide dignified vending areas to the vendors, free from the hassle of traffic and accidents.
It also provides for hygienic food vending, as the counters are at a higher level from the ground and provide covered food with designated dustbins and washing areas.
With the programme being rolled out successfully in Narayanpet, more districts of Telangana are set to follow soon.
