Patna, June 10.
A significant meeting was held in Patna in light of the arbitrary fines and harassment being imposed on street vendors by the Patna Municipal Corporation. The meeting was organized under the banner of the National Association of Street Vendors of India (NASVI) and witnessed participation from street vendors across various areas of Patna city, including all major markets.
During the meeting, vendors highlighted that the municipal authorities have been imposing hefty penalties ranging from ₹500 to ₹10,000 without any justification. Additionally, carts and goods are being confiscated without prior notice, which the vendors allege is a clear violation of the Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act, 2014.
Several vendors shared that these excessive fines are making it difficult for them to repay their loans taken under the Prime Minister’s SVANidhi Scheme. Many also noted that their Certificates of Vending (COV) are set to expire in 2025, yet there has been no communication or initiation of the renewal process from the authorities.
Members of the Town Vending Committee (TVC), including elected vendor representatives, were present at the meeting. They expressed concern that TVC meetings are not being held regularly as mandated by law.
Speaking at the event, NASVI’s National Coordinator Mr. Arbind Singh stated, “It has been a decade since the Street Vendors Act came into effect, yet its implementation remains questionable. We will be forming a delegation to meet with the Municipal Commissioner of Patna to demand immediate convening of TVC meetings, initiation of the COV renewal process, and a halt to illegal confiscations and arbitrary fines.”
Vendors also emphasized that if vending zones are designated in accordance with the Act and allocated properly, they are willing to operate in an organized manner and even pay monthly vending fees. Complaints were raised about areas like Boring Road, where police are reportedly forcing vendors to shut down by 9 PM, despite customer activity continuing until 10 PM—significantly impacting their earnings.
The Patna Town Level Federation (TLF) has announced that a formal delegation will meet the Municipal Commissioner and Chairperson of the TVC this coming Friday to present the following key demands:
• convening of the Town Vending Committee (TVC) meetings within the month of June
• Immediate initiation of the renewal process for Certificates of Vending (COV)
• A complete stop to illegal confiscation of goods and arbitrary imposition of fines
• Declaration of markets as vending zones by regulating the street vending.
