Category: Miscellaneous

30 Jun 2024 16:20

Joined:	10/12/2016
Level:	Diamond
Points:	109183

Points:	5

Can Govt allot small spaces to hawkers on the sides of roads?

In many towns and cities there are wide pavements by the side of roads where we generally find some hawkers sitting and selling their goodies but many times municipal workers come and remove them from there and sometimes also destroy their belongings.
There are a large number of these small self employed people but they do not get a permanent place to sit and do their business. They cannot afford the shops as shop rentals are very high. Is it possible that Govt may allot them small spaces (say cubicles of 5 x 8 feet or even smaller) on these wide pavements keeping a good distance between them so that they can fearlessly do their small business?
This would give an opportunity to these people to continue their self employment project respectfully and fearlessly. If done this would engage a large number of people across so many cities in our country. Is it feasible? What do you think?

#780602

30 Jun 2024 18:11

Joined:	31/10/2012
Level:	Gold
Points:	4015

Points:	4

Such things are already in place but government at moment is busy removing them because they cause traffic jams at busy places. Hawkers and street vendors have always been part of Indian roads and they usually do better business than the people who have big shops on rent. Probably people like to buy from such street vendors because they offer better rate than any other expensive shops. I don't think government will like such idea because it is an unorganized sector and at the moment they are looking to make India look more like foreign country.

Humble yourself or life will do it for you!

#780607

30 Jun 2024 19:32

Joined:	02/06/2009
Level:	Diamond
Points:	145594

Points:	5

It is not a question of allotting a small place for these Hawkers, I think. They require good crowds to do better business. If the government gives them some space somewhere, if they sit and do the business, their sales will come down. They will sit on a roadside as people passing that way may see the items that are being sold by these people and may purchase them. Instead, if they sit somewhere, these people never go there. If at all the government wants to allot some place for them, that should be on the roadsides only. Otherwise, their business will suffer.
Near my house, the municipality constructed a market yard. That has been vacant for almost 5 years. All the shops will be only on the roadside. Once I asked one vendor, why they were not offering that yard. The vendor told me that if they sit inside that yard, no purchaser will come inside.

drrao
always confident

#780610

30 Jun 2024 20:14

Joined:	10/12/2016
Level:	Diamond
Points:	109183

Points:	2

Dr Rao, you are very right that if they are allotted some place elsewhere then they would not take it because crowd would not be there. So the point is to allot them near busy areas. It might not be possible everywhere but in many cities roads in busy areas are wide enough and pavements are also quite spacious. So such schemes can be tried there.

Knowledge is power.

#780616

30 Jun 2024 20:50

Joined:	20/01/2017
Level:	Diamond
Points:	25422

Points:	4

In Maharashtra state there are some spaces on the pavements alloted to the disabled persons for opening a small business outlet. Govt takes a small amount as rent every month for it. There is another scheme for allotment of space to cobblers and other such small workers. Though the total number of such people is not more but on the same lines the present suggestion made in this thread could be looked into.
If we can employ and engage more people in these roadside spaces then it would help in reducing the unemployment.

Thoughts exchanged is knowledge gained.

#780618

30 Jun 2024 21:29

Joined:	02/06/2009
Level:	Diamond
Points:	145594

Points:	4

I think allocating spaces on busy roads is again a problem. Once the government gives them a small place, the shop owners will occupy some more and try to take advantage. I think it is not correct to allocate space in such areas. Anyhow, these roadside hawkers may have their shops on pulling trolleys and they can go on moving from place to place like street vendors so that their business will also improve. In our area, mangoes are being sold on manual pulling carts. They keep the cart on the roadside for sometime and then they go on pulling the cart on the colony road. By the time they go back, they clear the material and they go back with an empty cart only.

drrao
always confident

Can Govt allot small spaces to hawkers on the sides of roads?

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