Integrating Street Hawkers into the urban ecology- The Case of T. Nagar, Chennai
Anand Raj Irene Baby R. C. Sudheesh Uttara Narayan Vishnu Prasad
The Problem
• T. Nagar- quagmire of vendors, pedestrians, vehicles • Street vendors perceived as primary cause of bottleneck • Policy interventions lack implementation
Who are the Stakeholders?
Retailers
Motorists
Residents
Street Vendors
Pedestrians
Corporation
Street Vendors
Economic
Social
Legal Rights
Rent Seeking
Infrastructure
Why getting rid of hawkers is NOT the solution
Economic contribution
• Support the urban poor • Invisible supply & marketing backbone
Hawkers’ Complex
• Kanagarajan Committee Report, 2003
Natural Surveillance Systems
• Enhances street safety (Jane Jacobs)
Temporary solution
• Mere shifting of problem
How to Design the Solution?
T. NAGAR
Feeder buses within nonmotorised area
Declare T. Nagar a non-motorised zone
Enhance pedestrian mobility Identify potential commercial hubs across city to decongest T. Nagar
What policy interventions could be made?
• Effective licensing • Co-operation from City Police • Access to health care
• Interdependence with other stakeholders • Interrelated economies of hawkers and public transportation
Phase
Action
Data required
Stakeholders
Constraints
I
Survey, Mapping, Publicity and Proving Credibility
BLD on hawkers in T. Nagar, distribution and density. CBA of recommendations
Hawkers, Corporation
-
II
Implementation
Non-motorization, feeder buses, parking complexes, shelter for vendors. Will be implemented in sub-phases
Pedestrians, Motorists, Hawkers, Corporation
Interim costs, opportunity costs, time
III
Sustainability
Institutional reform: unions, licensing, town vending committees.
Development of commercial zones
Hawkers, Corporation, City Police
Absence of legal impetus
Food for Thought
References: 7. Bhowmik Sharit. Urban Responses to Street Trading: India. 8. Study of Street Vendors in Mumbai, Report of the study conducted by SNDT Women’s University and International Labour Organisation. 9. Xavier Goddard and Innocent Fatonzoun. Urban Mobility for all- Lisse, The Netherlands. CADOTOU Foundation, 2002. 10. Keerthana R. Public Facilities Yet To Take Off. The Hindu. 17th July 2011. 11. Srivathsan A. What Committees Say About Hawkers. The Hindu. 29th July 2008. 12. Srivathsan A. Usman Road costliest stretch in Chennai. December 5, 2006. 13. Pondy Bazaar commercial complex to be ready in April. The Hindu. February 12, 2010. 14. Will vendors ' relocation change T. Nagar? The Hindu. 20th Sept 2010. 15. Something hawkish about it all. The Hindu. July 28, 2008. 16. Hawkers back on Anna Salai. The Hindu. September 4, 2011.