Authorities forced us off the streets in the name of G-20 security, say city vendors

While the city is all set to host the G-20 Summit, street vendors say the authorities have forced thousands of them to vacate public space over the past month.

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While the city is all set to host the G-20 Summit, street vendors say the authorities have forced thousands of them to vacate public space over the past month.

Shri Ram, a member of the town vending committee (TVC) of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), told The Hindu that around 50,000 people have been displaced.

The TVC, which comprises representatives from the civic body, police, and street vendors, is responsible for assigning designated zones to the vendors.

As per the Street Vending (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act, 2014, authorised vendors are provided with a certificate of vending (CoV), which gives them legal safeguards. Section 18 of the Act states that such vendors cannot be relocated by the local authority without a 30-day notice.

An MCD official told The Hindu that vendors with valid documents have not faced any interference.

However, Arbind Singh, who heads the National Association of Street Vendors of India, said vendors have been evicted without notice.