Telangana vendors hit as ULBs sit on ID cards

HYDERABAD: While Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) identified 48,000 street vendors across the State long ago, they have not issued street vending certificates to the vendors till date. Of the 48,000 registered vendors, there are 25,450 under the GHMC limits alone.

A mere 207 vending certificates have been issued so far displaying a clear lack of concern towards street vendors. In a majority of GHMC circles, such as Khairatabad, Kapra, Quthubullapur, Secunderabad, Alwal, Abids, Patancheru, Serilingampally, L B Nagar, Charminar, Rajendranagar, Uppal, Malkajgiri and Kukatpally, not a single street vendor ID card has been issued.

Other ULBs have done reasonably better than GHMC by issuing more than 50 per cent vending certificates. Of the 22,375 registered street vendors, 12,465 have been issued certificates. Taking note of the delay, the Telangana Mission for Elimination of Poverty in Municipal Areas (TSMEPMA) has issued instructions to ULBs to issue issuing vending certificates and ID cards to all street vendors by May 31. The earlier deadline that was set was December 15, 2019.