Street Vending Zones Fail To Take Off in Hyderabad

Hyderabad: Civic bodies have failed to create and operationalise exclusive street vending zones in Hyderabad, resulting in the encroachment of footpaths. In places where designated vending zones were created, they remain unused. The area near Shilparamam has vacant stalls, while facilities such as the Begum Bazaar Fish Market and a fish market in LB Nagar are non-operational. Vendors have instead set up stalls outside these premises, occupying roads and footpaths, with vehicles parked in front adding to congestion.

Despite the completion of construction in some cases, markets have not been made operational due to factors including court cases. According to vendors, poor site selection for vending zones has prevented them from shifting to designated locations.

In the erstwhile GHMC limits, 127 vending zones were identified, but most were not located on busy stretches, and the initiative did not progress. Objections were raised by corporators, and some vendors approached the Praja Vani programme opposing the identified sites. On busy stretches such as Ameerpet, Koti, Hitec City near the Metro station, and Durgam Cheruvu, vendor stalls continue to occupy footpaths and roads. Though GHMC and traffic police have conducted clearance drives, encroachments have returned within hours.

Efforts to relocate vendors near the Charminar have also been unsuccessful. A proposed 100-metre buffer zone around the monument is now occupied by stalls, and the yellow demarcation marking has faded. “While the footpaths are occupied by vendors, the road adjacent to it is used for parked vehicles and the pedestrians are forced to walk on the portion of the road where vehicles move fast,” said Ratnesh Babu, a van driver. Vendors, however, said enforcement drives affect their daily livelihood.

According to GHMC officials, over 1,000 encroachments were recently cleared from footpaths. They added that vendors with pushcarts returned after the drives, while those operating from permanent encroachments such as tin sheds and shops did not return, indicating a limited and temporary impact of enforcement.