The Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) Dakshina Kannada unit has called on the Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) to promptly establish dedicated hawker zones and simplify the licensing process for street vendors. Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, state vice-president Vivekananda Salins highlighted that despite clear provisions in the 2014 Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act, authorities have failed to provide basic amenities and official recognition to vendors.
Key Demands Under the Street Vendors Act
Salins pointed out that the law mandates surveys every five years, allocation of designated vending spaces, and issuance of identity cards to support street vendors. He alleged that the MCC has not implemented the guidelines under the 2014 notification or the 2024 amendment. The party urged the corporation to set up vendor committees and introduce a single-window system to ease licensing and regulatory procedures.
According to AAP, bureaucratic red tape within the corporation has stalled progress. The party stressed that immediate action is necessary to protect the livelihoods of thousands of street vendors in the city. They called for transparency and efficiency in the implementation of the act to ensure vendors receive the facilities and recognition they are legally entitled to.
Salins emphasized that the creation of hawker zones would not only formalize vending spaces but also reduce conflicts with local authorities and improve urban management. The single-window system, he argued, would eliminate delays and corruption in the licensing process.
