On Monday, a protest was organized at the city government office, where Malyadri highlighted the issue of street vendors being removed from their places by Commissioner Puli Srini Vasarao, preventing them from continuing their street businesses. Later, they met with the commissioner in the council meeting hall. The commissioner responded by stating that, once they receive the details of the small traders in the area, ID cards would be issued and designated vending zones would be set up. However, he emphasized that only one cart would be allowed per vendor. He further explained that the vendors’ families were small, and the streets should be kept clear to allow businesses to operate without causing traffic congestion.
During the meeting, the Commissioner reiterated that the small traders needed to provide their details for ID cards and zoning, with the restriction of setting up only one cart. The State President of the National Association of Street Vendors of India, Dhupati Venkataratnam, appealed to the city commissioner to protect the rights of street vendors, in accordance with a Supreme Court ruling. Other representatives, such as Darnasi Ramaswamy, President of the Andhra Pradesh Street Vendors Labor Federation in Guntur City, and SK Nazir, Lakshmi, CH Saida Rao, Baji, and Nagarjuna from various street vendors’ associations, also participated in the discussions, underscoring the importance of safeguarding the livelihoods of street vendors in the city.
