Moved out,vendors look for alternatives

Akash Kumar,a vegetable vendor in Alaknanda,is one of the many who will suffer from the restrictions. “I have been asked to remove my rehri from the streets and I won’t be able to earn my daily Rs 200,” he says. Fortunately,a colony has allowed Kumar to station his cart inside the premises thereby giving him business.

In CR Park,Dubey has similar worries. Dubey has been running his running his rehri in CR Park Part II for the last seven years,but “the police removed all vendors from their respective areas overnight,” he says.

Further ahead,another vegetable vendor,fondly known as Babaji,has a shop of his own. But with the police constantly patrolling the area,he does not keep it open. Babaji has,in fact,come up with a novel solution and now a curtain hangs in front of his shop.

“I recognise the residents in this area. They call out their name,and I let them in,” he says. Hemant Dwivedi,a resident of C R Park,confirms this,saying,“I came in the morning to buy vegetables. When I didn’t see anyone outside,I called out to Babaji and he let me in.”

A senior police officer,however,said: “No incidents of police beating up vendors have been reported. Vendors who do not have identification,have been asked to remove their rehris. Only those who have valid ID cards have been permitted to continue selling vegetables.”