Rs 1,425-Cr Smart Vending Project to Reshape Vizag Streets
Additional Commissioner P.M. Satyaveni, along with South Constituency MLA Vamsi Krishna Srinivas Yadav, held meetings with beneficiaries at the GVMC Zone-IV office and other zonal offices, in coordination with Zonal Commissioners.
Visakhapatnam: A Rs1,425-crore project to modernise street vending in Visakhapatnam is set to take off with the establishment of Smart Street Vending Zones at three key locations — RR Centre in Madhurawada (70 units), under the Duvvada flyover at Kurmannapalem in Gajuwaka (70 units), and Suryabagh Central Park (110 units).
The initiative, led by the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC), aims to improve the livelihoods of street vendors while enhancing urban infrastructure and city aesthetics.
On Wednesday, Additional Commissioner P.M. Satyaveni, along with South Constituency MLA Vamsi Krishna Srinivas Yadav, held meetings with beneficiaries at the GVMC Zone-IV office and other zonal offices, in coordination with Zonal Commissioners.
She said that under Operation LUNGS 2.0, encroachments such as stalls and shops on roads, footpaths and junctions were cleared to ensure smooth traffic flow, pedestrian safety and city beautification. The initiative, conceptualised by GVMC Commissioner Ketan Garg, is designed to balance infrastructure development with vendor welfare by creating organised vending zones with modern facilities.
The programme aims to provide sustainable livelihoods and improve living standards for street vendors. Meetings held in Zone-IV and Gajuwaka brought together Zonal Commissioners, Street Vending Committees and beneficiaries, who gave their consent. Application forms will now be issued to vendors for submission.
The additional commissioner noted that the Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act, 2014 mandates surveys, issuance of identity cards, vending plans and establishment of vending markets by Urban Local Bodies. In line with this, the Andhra Pradesh government, through MEPMA, has introduced the Smart Street Vending Market scheme to support vendors and Self-Help Group families.
The `1,425-crore project will be jointly funded by GVMC, MEPMA and the State government. Each beneficiary will contribute Rs 2.5 lakh, either directly or through bank loans.
The Smart Street Vending Zones will feature modular kiosks, solar-powered lighting, digital payment facilities, waste collection and sanitation services, seating areas, CCTV surveillance, skill development support and FSSAI certification.
MLA Vamsi Krishna Srinivas Yadav welcomed the initiative and assured that a transparent lottery system would be followed if applications exceed available units. Zonal Commissioners, beneficiaries, APDs and other officials attended the meetings.