Struggling youth of rural India flock to the cities, in search of livelihood and a better quality of life. However, more often than not, they get stuck in slums, doing odd-jobs to make ends meet. Over time, they become vendors, selling whatever has demand in the local area.
Our colony is a classic example of the above. Vendors have slowly but surely set up almost permanent areas especially on the pavements of busy roads, where they sell their products or services. These areas are public spaces, as in for residents to walk, not public areas for shopping.
It all starts very insidiously, where a chaiwala would set up a stall. Soon, there will be a pakodewala and a chaatwala, to offer delectables with a cup of tea. Before one realizes, a paanwala suddenly appears, initially with a small table, but soon a full-fledged “khokha”. Then come the service providers, like a plumber or an electrician. Initially just a number on the board, it soon becomes a small shop whereby minor repairs are carried out.
As the cluster develops, more and more people throng the area, encouraging the next step. Now there will be someone to offer greater variety, like momos, or juice, or aloo puri and so on. Seeing such a lively business area, others such as a florist are not far behind. And before one realizes, the entire area is encroached upon, a thriving business “district”. It is impossible to believe that this all happens without the complicity of the various authorities, aided by vague laws and promoted by vote-bank politics.
Be that as it may, there are certain things that can be done. We can have designated areas where these vendors can sit. This would not only be more organized but also far cleaner and hygienic. Also, it would not encroach on space meant for walking. Furthermore, roadside vendors also result in haphazard parking leading to traffic congestion.
The main Savitri road and the M-block road are perfect examples of the mess created by encroachments. It’s time to take an affirmative action, whereby the colony residents get their space back, while the vendors’ rights are also not violated. Through this article it’s a humble request to all stakeholders, including the RWA, the MCD, the police as well as the politicians to step in and halt the steady deterioration of the colony.
