The National Association of Street Vendors in Delhi has somewhere near 350,000 hawkers that sell their wares on the streets. Most street hawkers live in a hand-to-mouth existence and most times than not, they are the main breadwinners in a family of five or more. Currently, most of the illegal street hawkers are being evicted before the Commonwealth Games begin in October and the economic fallout from a large section of Delhi’s working class will have a great impact.
Among more than 4,000 hawkers who sell their wares on the pavements of Sarojini Nagar Market , their livelihoods are now being threatened. Last June, the Delhi authorities announced that roadside cobblers, vegetable sellers, presswallahs (clothes ironers), and ‘illegal’ vendors selling clothes and food were considered a major security risk and would be evicted.
Many of the hawkers have applied several times for licenses; some have been trying for years. Since they have not received their licenses, they are considered ‘illegal’, even though they can show authorities documentation of their applications. Officials from the municipal corporation have begun arriving to the very popular market every morning and do not let anyone set up their stalls.
The Commonwealth Games are going to be the biggest sporting extravaganza the India capital has ever hosted. Tons of thousands of tourist and visitors booking up all the Delhi hotels are expected to visit the city for the Games. Delhi wants to put its best foot forward; it wants to start appearing clean, orderly and rich. The street hawkers and the beggars either must be legal or move their stalls to another town.
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