Nellore: Civic body to issue ID cards to street vendors, traders

Nellore: The civic body is planning to issue identity cards to the street vendors and petty traders in the city to facilitate hassle-free trade and avoid obstructions from the municipal and police personnel.

These cards are going to be issued through the ward sachivalayams. Municipal officials identified around 18,000 such petty traders and street vendors in the city for issuing the cards.

In fact, hundreds of vendors visit the city markets from nearby villages for selling vegetables, fruits, local fish and other goods on a daily basis. They visit the main vegetable market in the city and also fish markets at various places and fruits markets at Gandhi Statue Centre, Chinna Bazar, Muthukur Road, Atmakur Bus Stand Centre, Stonehouse Pet, Bose Statue Centre, along the mini bypass road and others.

They have been carrying out sale of the goods in an unorganised manner and the district administration had earlier planned to provide identity cards to them a couple of years ago when Dr P Narayana was Municipal Administration Minister. They identified around 8,100 street vendors in the district and had provided identity cards to 8,070 members.

A Town Vending Committee had also been formed in every municipality in the district for identifying the vendors and providing cards to them. As many as 5,561 street vendors were also identified in the Nellore Municipal Corporation limits and officials organised a meeting with them.

After the start of the pandemic, there were no specific areas earmarked for street vendors and petty traders and they had set up roadside temporary stalls for selling vegetables, fruits, and other essentials.

Now, officials assured an interest-free loan of Rs 10,000 after registration. Officials said any vendor or trader can register their names visiting any Sachivalayam in the city for getting the identity card. They can also register their names for the interest-free loan submitting required documents.

Municipal Commissioner K Dinesh Kumar said they had identified around 18,000 street vendors and petty traders in the city and instructed the Sachivalayam staff to provide cards to them. He also requested the vendors to approach the nearby Sachivalayam for getting the cards and also for submitting papers for loans.