Mumbai, June 27: To curb illegal hawking and identify authorised vendors, the BMC has begun issuing Quick Response (QR) code-enabled identity cards to registered hawkers identified in its 2014 survey conducted for the Town Vending Committee (TVC). Mayor Ritu Tawde issued QR code-enabled identity cards to 4,971 registered vendors at Ghatkopar on Saturday.
A total of 99,345 registered hawkers will receive QR code-enabled identity cards from the Municipal Corporation. "Hawkers have been asked to visit their respective ward offices to verify their registration details, following which the cards will be issued," said a civic official.
The verification drive began on June 5 and was scheduled to conclude by June 15 but was delayed by nearly two weeks. The rollout finally began on Thursday, with Mayor Ritu Tawde distributing the first 100 QR code-enabled identity cards to registered vendors.
Verification Drive Underway
The exercise overshot its deadline as several registered hawkers were found to be away from Mumbai during the verification process, the official said.
The BMC issued another 4,971 QR code-enabled identity cards on Saturday. Civic officials said Dadar accounted for the highest number of verified hawkers, followed by Colaba, Churchgate and Goregaon.
Before receiving the QR code-enabled identity cards, hawkers are required to verify their personal details, survey number, vending location and jurisdiction at their respective ward offices.
According to BMC officials, the QR codes will provide instant authentication of authorised vendors and help both the civic body and Mumbai Police identify and act against illegal hawkers more efficiently.
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Policy Implementation Gains Pace
The civic body's hawkers' policy traces its origins to the Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act, 2014, and subsequent Supreme Court directives. While a survey identified nearly 1.65 lakh hawkers across Mumbai, only around 99,345 completed the documentation process.
The policy remained stalled for years due to litigation and disputes over the eligibility of surveyed vendors. However, the process gained momentum in April with the formation of the TVC, a key body responsible for guiding the implementation of the hawkers' policy.
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