Licences of hawkers, vendors cancelled due to rising encroachments

Islamabad : Given the rising number of encroachments on verandas, footpaths and roadside pavements in the markets the licences and temporary passes of all hawkers and vendors have been cancelled in the federal capital.

According to the details, the local administration had issued the circular to cancel licences/temporary passes of hawkers and vendors in the recent past but it avoided launching a crackdown against them due to deteriorating socio-economic conditions of the masses after an unprecedented price hike.

It is yet to know whether the cancellation of licences/temporary passes indicates any crackdown against vendors who have occupied spaces in the markets in violation of the by-laws.

Despite the fact that the civic agency has constructed pathways for the convenience of pedestrians, a majority of them have turned into extensions of commercial areas.

Some vendors set up food stalls with plastic sheets tied to serve as a shelter. But, actually, these spaces are for pedestrians to walk, not to get occupied by vendors.

According to the visitors, no checks have been conducted to restrict such vendors from illegally occupying the footpaths. They claimed that the number of street vendors occupying the pavements had increased significantly in recent months. An official said the traders and shopkeepers have appealed to the authorities to remove pushcarts and temporary stalls from all markets because they are creating problems for the visitors.

“The unions in various markets are against encroachments and have been protesting from time to time against this illegal activity. The government has also shelved the plan to install hundreds of carriages under the Ehsaas programme in markets to provide more spaces to pedestrians” he said.

He said “The licences of the vendors and hawkers were cancelled some time back but we are still reviewing the situation. We have a plan to make markets and commercial centres encroachment-free in coordination with the market committees.”