I raised a matter of urgent public importance in the august house of Lok Sabha requesting the Government to amend the Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act, 2014 at the earliest.

While examining the Street Vendors Act, I found out that Act did not take into account the population density of metropolitan cities while preparing a street vending zone plan. During the last two months Mumbai witnessed a cold war between resident associations and street vendors association. With the current population of 1.25 crore in Mumbai and a population density of 32,300 persons per square kilometre in Mumbai, it will be challenging to effectively implement street hawking zone plans. Moreover, Mumbai is expected to become the world’s fourth-largest city, with an estimated population of 2.77 crore by 2030. It is absolutely essential that future requirements of Mumbai must be taken into consideration while formulating policies for establishing street hawker zones.

Mumbai as a commercial capital of India attracts migrants from all over the country. Many of them earn their living as street hawkers near suburban railway stations, schools, and various other public places. I am very delighted that Honourable Prime Ministers initiative of Micro Units Development and Refinance Agency (MUDRA) Bank will empower street entrepreneurs.

But what is worrisome that Mumbai’s per capita open space is a measly 0.99 square metres as opposed to the ideal open space ratio of 10 square metres per person which is in accordance with the Central Government’s Urban and Regional Development Plans Formulation & Implementation (UDPFI) Guidelines 1996.

I wrote a letter to Shri Venkaiah Naidu, Honourable Union Minister of Urban Development and Housing & Urban Poverty Alleviation urging to him amend the Street Vendors Act as soon as possible.

Finally, I requested the Government to amend the Street Vendors Act by including a clause on population density in metropolitan cities especially in Mumbai while determining and preparing a plan for street vending zones. The street vending zone plans should be prepared in such a manner that resident associations and street hawkers association can co-exist harmoniously and BMC can implement the plan with greater efficiency.