Give details of vending zones’ service provider, Gauhati HC tells GMC

Guwahati: Gauhati high court has granted Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC) the last opportunity to provide details about the service provider engaged for developing and maintaining vending zones in the city.
The court’s directive came after it observed that despite the service provider being engaged on Aug 5, 2024, what action had been taken by the service provider had not been elaborated in the affidavit by the GMC.
A division bench comprising Chief Justice Vijay Bishnoi and Justice N Unni Krishnan Nair, while hearing the petition on Friday filed by Nipon Dholua in 2021 over the issue of designated vending zones, noted the lack of detailed action taken by the service provider in the additional affidavit filed by the GMC.
The court had earlier directed the GMC on Aug 14 to provide specifics about the 81 established vending zones, the commencement of Phase-I, and the facilities intended for both street vendors and the general public within these vending zones.
In response to this direction, the GMC submitted an additional affidavit. This affidavit listed the vending zones declared under provisions of “The Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihoods and Regulation of Street Vending) Act, 2014”, and mentioned that a service provider, “Indigenous Vendors Welfare India Association,” was engaged on Aug 5. GMC stated that the service provider was entrusted with responsibilities such as developing a uniform design and layout for vending carts, conducting surveys, and allocating vending carts to the designated vendors.
The court has fixed Oct 23 for the next hearing of the case.