PANAJI
The Corporation of the City of Panaji (CCP) is planning to demarcate hawker zones in sporadic locations in the city across its jurisdiction and relocate some 90 street vendors who are already formally registered with the civic body.
CCP Mayor Rohit Monserrate said the exact locations have not yet been finalised and the process of identifying feasible areas where adequate public space is available is in progress.
Monserrate, however, said that a few areas like the parking near the Don Bosco campus, around the Entertainment Society of Goa (ESG) and a couple in Caranzalem have already been identified to set up the hawking zones.
"We have to relocate 90 of them. We will place two, three or more vendors in each of these zones depending on the space available and keeping in mind the aesthetics of the surroundings," Monserrate said.
The issue of adequately placing the street vendors in hawking zones, mostly dispensing street food, fruits and ice cream through portable kiosks, has been hanging fire for several years.
Earlier, a food hawking zone operating at the parking lot adjoining the Don Bosco campus was discontinued after complaints from the residents of the chaos and littering it used to cause in the area.
The issue has often been mired in controversy with hawkers, particularly those operating bhel-puri kiosks alongside the Miramar beach alleging favouritism and patronage by powers within the CCP.
Monserrate meanwhile said this time the issue will be dealt with systematically, minuted at a CCP meeting and forwarded to the Collector for notification of all the hawking zones.
