Chandigarh: Fresh legal challenges have emerged over Chandigarh’s street vending policy as several vendors have moved the Punjab and Haryana high court, alleging that newly earmarked vending sites are in isolated areas lacking basic amenities and footfall.The petitions come after the Supreme Court disposed of past vendor litigation and directed the high court to handle day-to-day matters related to street vending across the city.In their pleas, vendors argue that the newly allotted spaces do not support daily business due to low customer volume. Additionally, vendors converted from essential service provider (ESP) to non-essential service provider (N-ESP) status under Supreme Court guidelines face significant disruption as they are required to vacate long-held spots.While the civic body has received formal court notices in some cases, other notices are pending service.Municipal authorities stated they are fully prepared to submit their response, maintaining that site selection and draw-of-lots allocations strictly adhere to Supreme Court directions, the Street Vending Act, and master planning norms.“The street vendors are moving to the court, and it is their right also. We are fully prepared to give the reply in the court as in some cases we got the notices too,” a senior civic official said. “Since the civic body authority is doing the entire exercise as per Supreme Court’s order, laid down terms and conditions, street vending act etc, every legal aspect has been given proper consideration while doing every exercise related to the street vendors in the city.”The official added that new locations were identified in coordination with UT’s urban planning department based on available city space and previously disclosed to the courts.
