Guwahati: The eviction of roadside traders from Fancy Bazar after parts of the commercial hub were declared no-vending zones has left them struggling to find alternative spaces to continue their livelihoods.Following repeated complaints about congestion in one of the city’s busiest commercial hubs, the housing and urban affairs department announced that SS Road, MS Road and HB Road would be declared no-vending zones from Sept. The decision has created uncertainty for traders whose livelihoods depend on vending in these areas.“We have been doing business here for more than seven years, trying to earn a living somehow, and even then the govt is telling us to move away. What are we supposed to do to make a living? The govt is not providing jobs, inflation is on the rise, and whatever we earn is not enough to run the household. Even the rent has gone up. What are we supposed to do?” said Dilip Kumar, one of the traders who was evicted.Other traders expressed similar concerns. Many said they wanted to be relocated to designated vending areas so they could continue their businesses.“I have somehow been running my business, and then suddenly they removed the carts. How are we supposed to survive? I am 56 years old. At this age, what can I do? If they had provided us with an alternative place, we would not have objected,” said another street vendor in the area.The Guwahati Municipal Corporation identified 81 vending zones across the city more than two years ago, but they have yet to be fully operationalised, leaving many street vendors without designated spaces.“While a Delhi-based NGO was conducting the survey, its findings were not considered reliable enough because of a mismatch in the number of vendors. However, a fresh survey is currently under way, and we hope to identify the vendors and allot them designated spaces where they can continue their businesses,” a GMC official said.The official said a lack of adequate space in the city had made it challenging to establish vending zones. However, the process had begun in some areas, where designated spaces were being developed to accommodate street vendors.
