Hundreds of traders from markets across Lutyens’ Delhi on Tuesday carried out a protest march to demand that ongoing evictions of street vendors are not stopped owing to political pressure.
Shops in many popular markets, including Connaught Place, Khan Market, Janpath, Sarojini Nagar and Palika Bazaar, remained closed for half-a-day as the traders demonstrated. They gathered outside Palika Bazaar and marched to the headquarters of the New Delhi Municipal Council, which has removed thousands of illegal street vendors in accordance with the Delhi High Court orders.
Outcry
While the NDMC has not called off the drive, politicians have publicly called for a stop to the evictions. The Delhi government even wrote to the civic bodies asking them to stop the evictions till Diwali. NDMC vice-chairperson Karan Singh Tanwar has openly criticised the officers involved in carrying out the drive. He has also called for a rally on Thursday.
With that backdrop, the Federation of NDMC Markets carried out the march, culminating with the traders handing over a memorandum to NDMC chairperson Naresh Kumar. As per the memorandum, the traders asked that the drive against unauthorised hawkers be continued as per the orders of the High Court.
Atul Bhargava, the president of the New Delhi Traders’ Association, said Mr. Kumar had assured the traders that the court orders would be implemented.
