Mon Dec 09 19:29:59 UTC 2024: **Gurugram Street Vendors Protest Evictions Amidst Claims of Corruption and Mismanagement**
GURUGRAM, India (December 10, 2024) – Dozens of street vendors in Gurugram were evicted this month during an anti-encroachment drive, sparking protests and allegations of corruption and mismanagement by the Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA) and Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG). Vendors, many possessing valid Certificates of Vending (CoV) and letters of recommendation for loans under the PM Street Vendors AtmaNirbhar Nidhi (PM SVANidhi) scheme, claim they were unfairly targeted.
Chander Kala, a 52-year-old widow who has sold fruit at Holi Ground for 30 years, is among those affected. Despite possessing a renewed CoV and a PM SVANidhi loan, she was evicted, leaving her family of four struggling to make ends meet. She, along with other vendors, alleges the GMDA categorized them as “mobile” vendors, despite their decades-long presence at the same location.
Similar incidents were reported across the city, with vendors claiming their pushcarts were damaged and officials ignoring their valid CoVs and letters of recommendation. Rajesh Yadav, a tea stall owner, further alleges that MCG officials demanded a bribe for CoV renewal. This claim is supported by the recent arrest of a MCG clerk by the Haryana Anti-Corruption Bureau for accepting a bribe for CoV renewals.
Rajender Singh Saroha, general secretary of the Dron Rehri Patri Feri Committee, a street vendor advocacy group, criticizes the GMDA’s actions as illegal and economically devastating. He points to the Town Vending Committee’s (TVC) inactivity for the past two years, hindering proper vendor identification and zoning. He also highlights the dysfunction of the Grievance Redressal and Dispute Resolution Committee, leaving vendors without recourse.
While the City Project Officer claims that 2,500 CoVs and 49,000 LoRs have been issued, Saroha disputes this number as insufficient, even based on the 2011 census. He demands a halt to the evictions and proper identification of vending zones.
The nodal officer for the anti-encroachment drive claims that only vendors without valid CoVs were targeted, and those with LoRs were given time to obtain CoVs. However, the MCG states it has no immediate plans to issue more CoVs. The newly appointed Municipal Commissioner, Ashok Garg, promises to investigate the vendors’ grievances. The situation remains tense, with vendors demanding action to protect their livelihoods.
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