Since the Chief Minister of Delhi announced Safai Abhiyan, the Abhiyan has become Abhishap for the street vendors of Delhi, as continuous evictions are being carried out against them. The controversial part of these drives is that legal Certificate of Vending holders are being ruthlessly removed from their places, and their goods & stalls are being confiscated. Heavy fines are imposed on their goods, which is a double financial loss for street vendors.
While raising this issue among the zones, officials clearly stated that they have higher orders to conduct these drives and they will not stop. Street Vendors are being defeated by the system from every side; the Delhi Government, MCD, Police, or PWD is willing to repulse the street vending and street vendors from the Capital of the country.
NASVI wrote letters to all these stakeholders, but it seems that the Street Vendors were an interesting community to make promises only during the elections.
In the drive to exclude street vendors from the urban ecosystem, on the other hand, the survey of left-out street vendors is being conducted by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi. A week before the survey, vendors will be removed. Who will be surveyed? That is one question that arises, which is difficult to understand by the MCD.
On 19th May 2025, at the Constitution Club of India, NASVI is organised a public hearing where officials attended and participated in the meeting. Mr. Devesh Saxena & Ms. Avni Verma, National Human Rights Commission, Mr. Mamta Kumari, National Commission for Women, Mr. Sanjay Kumar, Centre for the Study of Developing Societies, Mr. Uday Sahay Former IPS, Mr. Madhav Raman, Planner, Mr. Sanjeev Chaudhary, Manoj Tiwari office, Mr. Rajeev Babbar, BJP Delhi, Ms. Deepshika & Mr. Rohit, Prayas, Ms. Laavanya & Ms. Pritika, Foundation for Responsive Governance, Mr. Anurag Sharma, Confederation of Indian Industry, Mr. Arbind Singh, National Coordinator NASVI attended the meeting.
Shiv Kumari, from Madhu Vihar is a street vendor who sells pottery, has been evicted from her place for weeks. She said, ‘We have the right to earn our livelihood, where will we go if to support our families? She remarked, ‘Kiske Darwaaze Khatkhadaye?’
Santosh from Malviya Nagar said, ‘We got the PM SVANidhi loan, but how will we repay it if we are evicted from our places. He said ‘Ek Taraf Rahat, dusri taraf aahat’. They come with the bulldozer and confiscate our goods. when asked for a seizure memo, they deny that and put heavy fines on it.
Rina Devi & Shailendra Singh from Mehrauli & Malviya Nagar, respectively, stated that MCD officials came and evicted them from their vending place, seized their goods and cart, and refused to give the memo in return. This not only affects their livelihood but also incurs financial loss.
Suman Lata from Rohini Sector. She is a window and the sole earner of her family, and despite being a TVC member of Rohini Zone and having the certificate of vending, officials have taken her cart and evicted her without any reason.
This is against the Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act, 2014 as the article clearly states:
According to section 3.3 of Street Vendors Act, No street vendor shall be evicted or, as the case may be, relocated till the survey specified under sub-section (1) has been completed and the certificate of vending is issued to all street vendors.
Section 18.3 No street vendor shall be relocated or evicted by the local authority from the place specified in the certificate of vending unless he has been given thirty days’ notice for the same in such manner as may be specified in the scheme
Section 27. Prevention of harassment by police and other authorities. Notwithstanding anything contained in any other law for the time being in force, no street vendor who carries on the street vending activities in accordance with the terms and conditions of his certificate of vending shall be prevented from exercising such rights by any person or police or any other authority exercising powers under any other law for the time being in force.
The Second Schedule states (r) the manner of seizure of goods by the local authority, including preparation and issue of list of goods seized;
National Coordinator, NASVI, Arbind Singh said, ‘It is very disheartening to see street vendors being treated worse than animals. We urge the Delhi government to stop these evictions as street vendors elected the new government with the hope. We also demand modification in the MCD system so they could be accountable to the community and people they are appointed for’.
Street Vendors of Delhi collectively stated that in the name of Safai Abhiyan, street vendors are being evicted continuously, and every authority Delhi government, PWC, MCD, and others are taking away their right to livelihood.
Briefly, the media, Mr. Arbind Singh, National Coordinator of NASVI, said that ‘The panellist, Mr Rajib Babbar and NCW Member, Mamta Kumari, have promised to set up dialogue with Municipal Corporation of Delhi and Delhi Government and set up a meeting with the Mayor and Chief Minister of Delhi. A solution they promised should emerge shortly. Mr. Arbind Singh added that NASVI will continue until the government notifies guidelines for street vending in Delhi.
Article by Sakshi Aggarwal
