Nagpur: The never-ending tussle between the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) and unauthorized hawkers on Sitabuldi Main Road is set for another showdown, with the civic body gearing up to shift vendors to an alternative vending zone near Maharajbagh Road. However, stiff resistance from hawkers threatens to derail the plan, as seven representatives in the 18-member Town Vending Committee (TVC) have announced a boycott of the crucial meeting scheduled for March 19.
Despite only 103 vendors holding valid licences, nearly 1,000 hawkers have encroached upon Sitabuldi’s busiest commercial stretch, leading to severe traffic congestion and pedestrian inconvenience. The situation is so chaotic that even fire tenders struggle to navigate the area during emergencies.
Gold Rate
Tuesday18 March 2025
The NMC, which has assured the Nagpur Bench of Bombay High Court that Sitabuldi will no longer be designated as a hawking zone, insists that the relocation is necessary to restore order. The plan is in line with the Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act, 2014. Licensed vendors will be shifted beside the Maharajbagh compound wall, where the civic body claims to have arranged necessary facilities.
However, hawkers are pushing back, arguing that the move threatens their survival. “Sitabuldi is a prime shopping hub. Customers come here specifically to buy from us. If we are moved, our businesses will collapse,” said Abdul Razzaque Qureshi, a hawker and TVC member. Many fear that the new vending zone will lack the footfall needed to sustain them.
Adding to the tension, seven hawkers’ representatives in the TVC have refused to participate in the March 19 meeting, potentially delaying a final decision. The TVC plays a key role in formulating street vending policies, and without its approval, the relocation plan could hit a roadblock.
Meanwhile, NMC officials remain firm. “Encroachments on Sitabuldi Main Road are out of control. It is not just a marketplace but a critical traffic artery and emergency route. We have to balance business interests with civic order,” said an official, speaking on condition of anonymity.
Previous anti-encroachment drives have failed to yield lasting results, with vendors allegedly returning after bribing officials. Shopkeepers and commuters continue to bear the brunt of the chaos.
As tensions mount, the battle lines are drawn. Will NMC succeed in reclaiming Sitabuldi’s roads, or will the hawkers’ defiance force a compromise? The March 19 meeting could be a turning point in this long-running dispute.
