Demand for implementation of Street Vendors Act

On January 8, 2025, hawkers and traders from across Navi Mumbai will gather for an Elgar Morcha at 11 am in front of the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) to demand the immediate implementation of the Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act 2014 in the state of Maharashtra.

The Street Vendors Act, enacted in 2014, was designed to protect the livelihood of street vendors, who provide essential services to the public across the country. However, despite the Act’s introduction over a decade ago, its implementation has been notably absent in Maharashtra, leaving millions of street vendors without the protection they are entitled to. According to Prafulla Sharda Na Mhatre, National Secretary of the Maharashtra Hawkers Federation and Hind Mazdoor Kisan Panchayat, this failure is a serious issue that affects both the vendors and the broader community.

“The government claims to support marginalized sections of society, yet street vendors who contribute significantly to the economy are left unprotected and without government assistance,” said Mhatre.

The march, organized by various hawker unions, aims to ensure that all agencies in the state properly implement the hawker Act to provide justice to the vendors. One of the main concerns is the failure to conduct a survey of street vendors, a mandatory provision in the Act that should be carried out once every five years in each city. Despite the existence of this law, this has not been done anywhere in the state, including Navi Mumbai, where a survey was conducted in 2017 but without any follow-up.

Another key demand is the implementation of the guidance circular issued by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs in June 2019, which remains unenforced across the state. According to Mhatre, while nationalized banks under the Pradhan Mantri Swanidhi Yojana provided loans to millions of street vendors across India, only a small fraction—22,445 street vendors—were authorized in Mumbai, raising concerns about the criteria used for this authorization.

The protest comes amid increasing reports of inhumane actions being taken against hawkers across Navi Mumbai. Municipal officials have initiated encroachment proceedings to remove hawkers from the streets, including those with licenses. However, vendors from areas like Govandi and Mankhurd, who have been doing business in Navi Mumbai for years, continue to face eviction. Mhatre emphasized that the municipality’s actions have left hundreds of families unemployed, as their livelihoods are being stripped away.

“We will not stand by and let our voices be ignored. This Elgar Morcha is our demand for justice,” Mhatre concluded.

The hawkers' and traders' demand:

1. A joint meeting involving the Minister of Urban Development, Principal Secretary of Urban Development, Directorate of Municipal Council Administration, and hawker union representatives to discuss the implementation of the Act.
2. Immediate enforcement of the Street Vendors Act to prevent any unlawful action against vendors.
3. The setting up of a temporary City Vendors Committee, in line with the guidelines of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs and the Maharashtra Hawker Federation's submitted draft scheme.
4. The establishment of grievance redressal committees by all local municipalities as mandated by the High Court.