Will solve problem of unorganised vending activities if voted to power, says Bharadwaj

New Delhi: The Aam Aadmi Party on Saturday promised it will end problems being faced by people and street vendors due to unorganised vending activities, if voted to power in the next year Delhi civic polls.

Addressing a press conference at the party's headquarters, AAP chief spokesperson Saurabh Bharadwaj said the Delhi government under Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is working on a very progressive policy to address the problem of unorganised vending in the city.

It is the Aam Aadmi Party's (AAP) promise that as soon as it comes to power in Delhi's municipal corporations, vending zones for street vendors will be identified and all the problems and inconvenience being faced by vendors as well as people in the city will be put to an end, he said.

The AAP leader alleged that street vendors have to pay hafta (protection money) to corrupt officials of the BJP-ruled Delhi municipal corporations and the Delhi Police to continue with their business.

With the implementation of our street vendors policy, vendors will not only get dedicated spaces in the city to continue with their business and earn their livelihood but also get freedom from paying 'hafta' to corrupt officials of municipal corporations and the Delhi Police, he said.

The BJP is power in all the three municipal corporations in the city the South Delhi Municipal Corporation, the East Delhi Municipal Corporation and the North Delhi Municipal Corporation.

Under the AAP's policy, both vendors and people will be benefited, Bharadwaj said, adding that shifting street vendors to marked vending zones will end all inconveniences caused to people due to unorganised vending activities.

The remarks come days after the Delhi High Court, while hearing a petition by the New Delhi Traders Association on November 8, stressed on the need for proper implementation of the Street Vendors Act to have an organised activity of vending in the national capital.

The high court also directed the local authorities, including the municipal corporations, to initiate the process for preparing a statutory street vending plan under the Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act.

Bharadwaj said that street vendors are being identified in the national capital under the street vendors policy of the Delhi government.

The Delhi government's town vending committee has identified as many as 71,371 street vendors so far in a survey, he said.

The Delhi government has also extended the last date for registration of the street vendors from September 30 to December 7 for the registration of vendors, who had gone

back to their respective states due to the COVID-19 pandemic and are now returning, he added.