Chennai: Hawkers take over NSC Bose Road again

CHENNAI: While city officials are working hard to stem the spread of Covid-19 and most people are staying indoors, hawkers have returned and taken over NSC Bose Road, which is opposite the Madras high court. The road falls under Royapuram zone, one of the city’s biggest hotspots.
Royapuram (zone 5) has recorded the most number of cases in the city and the state. More than 2,000 people have tested positive, many of whom stay a stone’s throw away from NSC Bose Road.But, this has clearly not deterred vendors who were out selling fruits and vegetables here on Saturday.
The Madras HC has passed several orders directing that the road is a novending zone and that hawkers should not be allowed. In addition, vendors are selling wares in single-use plastic bags, which are banned in the city.
As per corporation guidelines, the civic body is to identify vending and nonvending zones in every part of the city and regulate the number of street vendors allowed on the road. In zone 5, identity cards have been issued to 6,237 vendors, but the process is still ongoing, said corporation sources.
Hawkers playing hideand-seek with corporation officials is not new. Vendors have in the past highlighted that their presence can help police prevent anti-social activities.
With all of the corporation’s efforts and workforcediverted towards fighting Covid and some officials in the zone having tested positive for the virus, corporation sources said they are unable to regulate the hawkers on NSC Bose Road.