By The Hindu Bureau
Copyright thehindu
Following the removal of street vendors, shops, and other encroachments under Operation Life to Urban Green Spaces (LUNGS), the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) has shifted its focus to creating dedicated vending zones. In the first phase, 21 such zones will be set up across the city over the next few weeks to accommodate eligible vendors.
GVMC is currently identifying eligible vendors. To qualify, vendors must belong to the Below Poverty Line (BPL) category, be registered in the street vendor identification survey with a valid registration number, and operate exclusively within GVMC limits. They must have been present during recent encroachment removal drives, be enrolled under MEPMA schemes, and maintain records of digital payment transactions. Only one member per family will be recognized as a vendor, and vendors are not allowed to conduct business at multiple locations.
Vendors meeting these criteria will be permitted to operate in designated vending zones and will be eligible for benefits under central government schemes, including the PM SVANidhi scheme, said P.M. Satyaveni, Project Director of the Urban Community Development wing of GVMC.
“We are identifying eligible vendors and creating vending opportunities for them. The GVMC has submitted a list of 21 vending zones to the government and awaits its approval,” she said, adding that approval is expected within a few weeks.
According to estimates by the UCD wing, around 18,000 vendors operate within GVMC limits. Since the 21 designated vending zones are insufficient, GVMC Commissioner Ketan Garg has asked officials to identify additional government lands to expand vending zones across the city. Shops will be gradually reallocated to vendors in a phased manner.
