Sandeep Rana
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, October 9
With only 44 of nearly 2,500 defaulting registered vendors clearing their dues by the September 30 deadline, the Municipal Corporation has proposed suspension of vending licences of the rest.
The vendors were put on notice after they failed to clear their dues by the deadline.
Rs 3.95L Received from 44 vendors
Rs 3.27cr Recovered in current fiscal
Setback for civic body
Poor response to clearing of dues has jeopardised MC’s plans to allot space to registered street vendors at 20 new vending zones
The defaulters will not be considered for space in these zones, approved recently by the UT Chief Architect
As many as 2,608 registered vendors had refused to run businesses from 46 sites allotted earlier by the municipal corporation
MC officials said the agenda regarding suspension of the licences will be tabled at the next Town Vending Committee (TVC) meeting. A number of other vendors are set to face the axe as similar deadlines were set earlier as well.
According to the MC, after publication of a public notice on September 24, only 44 registered street vendors came forward and deposited their dues — pending fee of past months along with fine. A sum of Rs 3,95,000 has been received from them. In all, the authorities have received Rs 3.27 cr from April 1 till September 30.
“We will bring the agenda of their licence suspension at the TVC meeting,” said MC Commissioner Anindita Mitra.
Poor response to clearing of fee has jeopardised the civic body’s plans of allotting space to registered street vendors in 20 new vending zones.
The defaulters will not be considered for space in these zones, approved recently by the UT Chief Architect.
Among the 20 new sites, the MC plans to open five “Model Vending Zones” at Mauli Jagran, Hallo Majra and Mani Majra. Besides canopies, vending spaces will have markings in three colours, specifying designated space, demarcation between two spaces and the passage for customers. Each zone will have 150-175 vendors.
A total of 2,608 registered vendors who had refused to run businesses from 46 sites allotted earlier had not been given alternative sites so far. Most of these sites have been lying vacant for the past six years.
Of 10,937 vendors covered under a survey in the city, only 3,833 were found to have been paying fee regularly. Licenses of some of them have already been suspended/cancelled, while the rest were put on notice.
