Mumbai: The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) councillor of ward no. 177 (Matunga), Nehal Shah, has developed a mobile application named Indian Streets for small scale vendors to do business via online. As the festive season to begin with the Ganeshotsav from August 22, the digital platform will help such small street vendors, Shah asserted.
The app is currently available on Playstore.
Shah told the Free Press Journal that she and her team were working on the project for the last one year and now they completed all process and launched the mobile application. She believes that the digital platform will benefit small vendors to revive their business. "As big players already doing business via digital marketing, the small vendors can also follow their footsteps. Online shopping has proved to be a new norm and in lockdown, as citizens avoiding to go in public places due to coronavirus scare, such app will help the vendors," she stated.
Interestingly, this app will be useful for all types of small scale street vendors including vegetable and fruit sellers, florists etc. "In Matunga 177 ward, there are about 300 Street vendors among whom the app will be advertised first. If it proves successful we will encourage other vendors across Mumbai to join," Shah explained.
One has to register their business on this mobile application of items they wish to sell with the photo of the vendor. "This will help the customers to identify the vendors from whom they regularly buy the essentials or other items and continue buying from same," she said.
Madan Bara, 29, a florist in Matunga flower market, said that though lockdown relaxation has been given, the business is not the same as earlier. I hope the app proves to be our saviour as the festive season to begin with the 11 days Ganeshotsav and there will be demand for flowers.
"I have three rented shops and have 12 workers and we make wedding garlands. The demand for the unique design garlands made in our Matunga market is huge. From the outskirts of Mumbai, people come here for buying flowers. However, as marriages and other important occasions postponed, we have lost our business completely. I used to make daily business of Rs 5,000 which has dropped to Rs 500 now, that too I earn by selling the bouquets as there are a few who are making. I wish by joining the digital platform I could make some income." Bara said.
