By Rahul Bhandari

Copyright thenewshimachal

Shimla – Street vending in Himachal Pradesh’s rural areas will now come under regulation, with the Panchayati Raj Department issuing rules to introduce licensing for vendors. The rules, notified in the state Gazette on Thursday, make police verification compulsory for obtaining a license.

According to the notification, vendors selling goods in more than one Panchayat will have to apply to the concerned Block Development Officer. Each applicant must fill out a form detailing their work, along with photographs, before a license can be issued. Only individuals aged 18 years and above will be eligible.

To ensure public convenience, selling on footpaths has been prohibited. Instead, licensed vendors will be provided with a minimum space of four by four feet to carry out their business. Panchayats, through resolutions passed in general or special meetings, will declare natural markets and vending zones in areas with adequate space and good foot traffic.

Each vendor will be required to pay a vending fee, which will be fixed from time to time by the Director of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj. Licenses will remain valid for one year from the date of issuance.

Officials said the move is aimed at streamlining rural vending practices, reducing disputes over space, and providing vendors with official recognition while ensuring the public is not inconvenienced.