No illegal vending, hawking in Connaught Place, says Delhi HC

financialexpress.com:

The Delhi High Court has directed the authorities in the national capital to ensure that there are no illegal hawkers or vendors in the famous Connaught Place.

A bench headed by Acting Chief Justice Manmohan on Friday directed the Delhi Police and the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) to strictly implement its 2021 order which asserted that there should be “zero tolerance” towards all unauthorised hawkers.

The bench, also comprising Justice Mini Pushkarna, observed that the situation which arose in Nehru Market in 2021 — when fire tenders could not access a building where a fire broke out — cannot happen again.

“We can’t have vendors in every nook and corner,” the court said. 

“NDMC and Delhi Police shall ensure that the order of this court (of October 2021) is implemented in letter and spirit,” it ordered, as quoted by PTI.

The court also asked the authorities to come up with a protocol to deal with the re-entry of vendors even after their removal.

The court was hearing a petition by the association of traders of shop owners in the Connaught Place area — Rajiv Chowk and Indira Chowk. 

They sought directions to the authorities to ensure illegal hawking and squatting/vending activities in the ‘No Hawking’ and ‘No Vending’ areas of Connaught Place and Connaught Circus stop permanently and the areas are kept free from encroachments by illegal hawkers and vendors/squatters.

In October 2021, the court issued a “stern warning” to the NDMC and police for failing to comply with the scheme of keeping the Connaught Place area free of unauthorised vendors.

“There should be zero tolerance shown by them, and all hawkers, vendors – except the original 80 odd vendors… should be removed bag and baggage. The rule of law has to prevail,