MCG’s hawkers zone opens in Gurgaon

The Municipal Corporation of Gurgaon (MCG) has opened dedicated hawkers zone at Sector 38, opposite Medanta-the Medicity Hospital, in an effort to decongest roads, solve long-pending infrastructure issues and provide a variety of food options in a clean environment.

As a pilot project, 20 hawkers were set up on an empty spot adjacent to the main road, to avoid snarls in the area which sees heavy traffic. From paranthas, vegetarian dishes, maggi, bread and egg, hot and cold beverages, rajma chawal and kadhi chawal, these items cost between Rs 15 and Rs 70.

“I gave a down payment of Rs 25,000 and received a sturdy mobile-stall with enough space to accommodate all the items that I sell. Being part of the hawker zone has given me more customers, as there is a larger footfall here,” said Abdul Haseed, a juice vendor. Abdul used to sell juice to his customers from a hand-cart, at Sector 31.

Vendors have been provided with identity cards and will have to pay a cumulative amount of rs 1.05 lakh in installments to the MCG.

As part of the project, the zone has provision for restrooms, drinking water, seating, street lighting and solid waste management. The health department inspects all the food stalls regularly.

“This initiative is similar to the INA market in New Delhi, where vendors offer a variety of food at affordable rates. It’s a great option as services are being offered in a sanitised space,” said Anil K umar, a jewelry showroom owner.

The project was initiated after the MCG formed a town vending committee to earmark vending or hawking zones in the city and implement the Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act, 2015.

“This project has been aimed at curtailing snarls owing to roads being encroached upon by vendors and instead provide food items under one corridor,” Vivek Kalia, MCG joint commissioner, said.

MCG officials identified 14,174 street hawkers in a survey conducted in the city in February. The project will also set up hawker zones -- hawking, non-hawking and restricted areas (where hawking will be allowed only during restricted time) -- as per the need of each area and earmark 31 hawking zones in different areas of the city.