The city Corporation is set to implement a uniform branding system for thattukada units (wayside eateries) and dedicated vending zones in the capital.
The officials of the National Urban Livelihoods Mission (NULM)’s wing that manages matters related to street vendors at the civic body have prepared a proposal for this purpose. Uniformly designed and colour-coded vending carts with the Corporation’s logo and specific locations in the city where vendors of different kinds of food items will be clustered together are part of the proposal.
“The vending committee has already cleared the proposal, which will be forwarded to the State Government. The Corporation plans to start the implementation from January next year. Since the dedicated vending zones are proposed to be set up along roads owned by the Public Works Department, the National Highway Authority of India and the Roads and Bridges Corporation, we have to get clearances from them too. The vending zones will be designed in such a way as to not cause any obstruction on the footpath or to the traffic,” said an NULM official.
Nightlife facilities
In the first phase, the Corporation plans to brand around 500 of the wayside eateries in the city. The pilot project will be implemented in two or three locations, where vending zones will be set up.
The civic body will also try to kick-start its earlier plan to improve facilities for nightlife in the city. Some of these vending zones, which will function till the early hours, could become starting points for that plan.
The Corporation’s plan is to begin the vending zones project from the beaches and tourist spots in the city. The officials have identified Kovalam, Shanghumughom, Vizhinjam, Museum, and other locations as the possible spots to launch the projects.
Survey
Close to 2,500 street vendors were officially identified in a ground-level survey conducted by the Thiruvananthapuram city Corporation in July, as per the instructions of the State Government.
Out of the street vendors identified in the survey, more than 600 are existing vendors, while 1,800 are new vendors.
The civic body also recently began digital onboarding of street vendors to equip them to accept digital payments using UPI QR codes.
As many as 650 of the city’s street vendors have been provided training as part of this.
