New Delhi: Even as the Delhi High Court continues to hear multiple cases of illegal encroachments by street vendors — a bench of Justices Vipin Sanghi and Jasmeet Singh on Monday came down heavily against the authorities for "making a mess" of the Street Vendors Act asking municipal authorities to formulate a street vending plan "for God's sake".
Anybody encroaching upon public space must be removed and it cannot be permitted that the whole pavements in markets are encroached leaving no space for people to walk, the bench said while hearing a plea against encroachments at the redeveloped Chandni Chowk area.
The high court also directed Delhi Police to positively take steps for the installation of CCTV cameras at Chandni Chowk area before February 28, failing which the Commissioner of Delhi Police shall remain present before it.
In addition, the high court has directed that experts be nominated from Shahjanabad Redevelopment Corporation, Delhi School of Planning and IIT Delhi immediately without any delay in the matter relating to preparation of street vending plan.
It also asked Delhi Police to take steps for removal of encroachers and illegal vendors from the area and directed the police and North MCD to continue with their anti-encroachment drive.
"We have issued repeated directions it is falling on deaf ears. You are not even taking steps equal to a little finger to do anything. We are compelled to pass such orders since nothing is happening. After this order, now even these officers will wake up," the court said.
"Anybody and everybody who is encroaching upon must be removed, our directions are very clear. We are not asking you to carve out any exception for the members of the petitioner association. You (North MCD) are not understanding the problem. If you take up a (street vending) plan, this situation can be defused. So first set the ball rolling and formulate a plan," the bench said.
The bench said it was trying to fill up a void which is there in the law, Street Vendors Act, and added that it does not want all these poor people to be driven away but things have to be done in a proper manner with a plan.