The Shimla Municipal Corporation (SMC) , on January 3rd 2025 in order to regulate street vending and balance urban planning with the livelihood of vendors has issued the Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Bye Laws 2024.
This move aims to streamline street vending practices while ensuring public safety, traffic management, and the preservation of Shimla’s heritage.
Vending Zones: Where Vendors Can Operate
The Town Vending Committee (TVC) will decide on vending zones based on factors such as heritage value, foot traffic, road conditions, and pedestrian and vehicle movement. The guidelines emphasize the following:
- No restriction-fee zones will be designated for street vending, allowing for more flexibility. However, mobile vending is restricted in the core areas of Mall Road and the historic Ridge to maintain their heritage significance. In these zones, vendors can operate freely as long as they don’t impede traffic or pedestrian movement.
- Mobile vending is permitted only on designated vending streets specified by the TVC, with the total number of street vendors limited to 2.5% of the population of the respective ward.
- Pedestrian and emergency vehicle space must always be ensured, with at least 1 meter of clearance in front of vending areas.
Key Restrictions on Specific Roads:
- On roads narrower than 3 meters, stationary vending is prohibited unless approved by the TVC.
- For roads between 5-8 meters wide, stationary vending may be allowed on one side if the road is designated as one-way.
The Lower Bazar area and specific heritage zones are strictly off-limits for vending, while there are also 50-meter no-vending zones around educational institutions and hospitals.
Vendor Restrictions: What’s Not Allowed
To ensure a smooth operation, several restrictions have been imposed on street vendors:
- No obstruction to traffic, doorways, utilities, or any critical infrastructure.
- Vendors are not allowed to sell prohibited or pirated goods, nor can they sell items that are unsanitary or hazardous to public health.
- Loudspeakers, open cooking methods like tandoors, and unauthorized energy sources are banned.
- Vending space cannot be sublet, and the use of the space must be limited to the vendor or their immediate family members.
Vendors must also ensure that their goods are not sold after hours, in poor condition, or using banned materials like polythene bags.
Penalties for Non-Compliance
Vendors who violate the regulations face escalating penalties:
- First violation: ₹1,000
- Second violation: ₹2,000
- Third violation: ₹5,000
- Fourth violation: Suspension of vending license for 3 months.
- Fifth violation: Cancellation of the vending license.
For unauthorized vending (without a certificate), penalties start at ₹2,000, escalating with each violation.
Fees for Vendors
The new bylaws outline several mandatory fees for street vendors:
- ID Card: ₹200 (renewal ₹100)
- Vending License: ₹100
- Late fees: ₹10/day for overdue vending fees (up to 90 days).
- Re-registration (if the license is cancelled due to violations): ₹3,000.
Vending Space Allocation: How It Works
Vendors are allotted a maximum vending space of 5 feet by 7 feet in designated areas. The TVC uses a draw of lots system for the allocation of vending sites, with priority given to vendors who have been surveyed and registered by the local authority. Special provisions exist for vendors from reserved categories, ensuring 24% preference as per the HP SV Scheme.
Vendors in no-vending zones will be relocated, and if the number of applicants exceeds available spaces, the TVC will use a waiting list for further accommodation.
Mobile Vendors: Specific Rules
Mobile vendors can only operate in designated areas, and they are allowed to stay at one place for no more than 30 minutes at a time. Any violations of the rules will result in the vendor being moved to a nearby area as per the designated vending zone.
Effective Date : The Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Bye Laws 2024 shall be applicable from 3.01.2024
