The court said that the rights of the vendors should not violate the rights of the residents of the city and other traders in the market. But the court also made it clear that it is not against street hawking, but that the rights of both of them (residents and hawkers) should be balanced.
Nehru Place, a market that developed primarily for the sale of computer hardware and related accessories in South Delhi, is “like a garbage dump,” the Delhi High Court said. The court also observed that the people hold the right to free access to the market areas and can demand a clean, hygienic and safe environment there.
On Monday the court said that the number of vendors should be determined taking into account the provisions of the master plan and other laws. If the master plan stipulates that there should be 3-4 vending sites for every 10 branches, then it should be limited to that, said the court.
The division bench of Judge Vipin Sanghi and Judge Jasmeet Singh during the hearing on a matter related to street vendors, said that we are talking about turning the city into a city like London or another big city in another decade, but “how do we get there?” “Where’s the planning? What about the planning aspect?”
The bench also said, the rights of sellers should not infringe the rights of residents and other traders in the market. “We should not be facing such a situation. When you go to Connaught Place, it is difficult to walk the corridors,” the court said.
