Registered vendors of Bhadra to be temporarily relocated near Teen Darwaza, orders Gujarat HC

Gujarat High Court has directed the Amdavad Municipal Corporation (AMC) to accommodate registered street vendors from the Bhadra area, affiliated with the Self Employed Workers Association (SEWA) and Self Employed Labour Organization (SELO), in two designated plots near Teen Darwaza as an interim measure to ensure their livelihood during the Diwali festival.

In affidavits submitted to the court, the AMC proposed temporary accommodation of the registered street vendors to a 1,190-square-metre vacant plot located 100 to 1,000 metres from Teen Darwaza and a smaller 322-square-metre plot 80 to 100 metres away. If additional space is required, the AMC suggested using the 1,535-square-metre central garden in Bhadra Parisar.

The petitioners, SEWA and SELO, accepted this temporary arrangement and assured cooperation, confirming that only registered vendors with identity cards would occupy the plots to prevent unauthorised encroachments.

The court has prohibited vendors from setting up kiosks or tables on public streets or pedestrian footpaths in Bhadra Parisar until further orders. Any unauthorised occupation will be treated as a law-and-order issue, with the district administration and AMC officials responsible for enforcement. The matter is scheduled for further hearing on November 28.

The AMC had previously highlighted that encroachments on roads and footpaths coupled with an absolute vehicular lock-jam made it impossible for fire, emergency and police vehicles to access key parts of the walled city, leading to a dangerous situation.