‘Nobody listens to us’: Street vendors, rickshaw pullers protest at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar against evictions

Women dry fruit sellers from Jahangirpuri complained of theft when the authorities came to evict them. Rajini, a vendor who has sold dry fruits for the past eight years at Chandni Chowk, said, “We face loss of goods; sometimes we don’t even get it back. They just make us run from one office to another saying that you don’t have the required documents. I sell perishable goods; they get spoiled if kept for long.”

A group of women street vendors from India Gate sat holding placards in the last row. “I have been doing this for the last ten years at the same location. Earlier, we never used to face any problems, but now officials and the police come and kick our goods, confiscate them and seek money. When we ask for our goods back, nobody listens to us,” said Gulesha Khatoon.

A few rows ahead sat Ritu Joshi, 40, a resident of Nehru Colony, Govindpuri, who feared whether her family would get accommodation if their camp is demolished. “Our camp is also about to get demolished, they promised us to give flats, but I fear if they will, what if we are stuck like some families of the Bhomiheen camp who still don’t have places to live,” she said.

Sanjeev Kumar, 34, a rickshaw puller from Karampura, said that for the last two or three years, the traffic police have been confiscating his rickshaws. “I have lost two rickshaws in the last few years. They said that we have sent it to Hapur, go get it from there. How will I be able to go?” he asked.

Sandeep Verma, the convener of the Indian Hawkers Alliance and a member of the town vending committee (TVC) for the Sadar Paharganj Zone within the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), expressed his dissatisfaction with the way the authorities treat street vendors in the area.

“There are many flaws in the previous survey conducted; officials don’t even consult the elected TVC for any actions or decisions. The vendors are ready to pay fees for the space, but first, the authorities need to recognise us as we have been historically living and selling things over here,” Verma said.

When contacted, Manish Kumar, Assistant Commissioner (MCD SP Zone), stated that the survey of vendors is ongoing, with the target of completion within the next six months. “They are encroachers; there are designated vending and non-vending areas marked, but they don’t follow these. We do not directly go and ask the vendors to evict the place. First, we give them multiple warnings,” he said, adding that it is not always possible to give a count of goods that are being confiscated since vendors also try to run when they see the forces.

The Vice Chairperson of the New Delhi Municipal Council, Kuljeet Singh Chahal, said the TVC is conducting a survey, and the council body is working on a court direction. “If any issue of corruption on the part of any officer is flagged, we will take action,” he added.