New Delhi: There is no executive or political will to remove illegal hawkers and vendors from streets and barring Lutyens' Delhi, there is no place in the city that is clear from unauthorised squatters, the Delhi High Court said on Wednesday.
"Then why spare Lutyens' zone. They should be all over here. Let them be in front of the President's House, Prithviraj Road, Delhi High Court, India Gate and make it jungle. Why leave this area, we all should face it," an irate bench said.
A bench of Justices Vipin Sanghi and Jasmeet Singh, which has been monitoring the redevelopment work in the Chandni Chowk area for several years, said it was getting a feeling of complete defeat in this matter.
"If there is no political and executive will, then let it go the way it has to, why should we be bothered," it said while hearing a plea by Chandni Chowk Sarv Vyapar Mandal seeking the removal of illegal hawkers and vendors.
The bench said all street vendors must be paying their haftas' to authorities and that is why they are being allowed there.
It said looking into the existing population of Delhi and huge influx in the city from all over the country, it may not be practically feasible to completely stop the activity of hawking and vending in Chandni Chowk.
"Hawking and vending are recognised as a fundamental right. In our view, it is of utmost importance that the administration undertakes the task of preparing a street vending plan under the Street Vendors Act at the earliest… " the bench said.
It said hawkers and vendors not only earn their living but make it convenient for people to buy goods at reasonable prices and they certainly have a significant role to play in the economy of the city. The bench directed the North MCD to immediately start the process of preparation of street vending plan for which the corporation should involve experts from the field of planning, including from the School of Planning and Architecture, IIT, PWD and other bodies.
The bench called for a status report and made it clear that its commissioner shall be personally responsible for complying with this direction and listed the matter for hearing on December 6.
Senior advocate Sanjeev Ralli, representing the petitioner, informed the court that despite repeated directions for installation of 330 cameras, not even a single CCTV camera has been installed by the Delhi Police in the area to check encroachment in the area and pathways. The police sought a week's time to respond.
Additional standing counsel Naushad Ahmed Khan, appearing for Delhi government, said some CCTVs have been installed by the government and he will report the exact position on the next date.
Several benches of the high court have repeatedly criticised the lack of administrative will to remove illegal hawkers and traders and have in one voice called for the proper implementation of the Street Vendors Act, which they noted was not being implemented in letter and spirit.