Street vendors stage protest against MCD for 'anti-encroachment' drive

'We are not being allowed to run our businesses,' a street vendor said

Hundreds of street vendors from across Delhi staged a protest outside the MCD office against the "astronomical increase in unlawful evictions" of their businesses.

The vendors alleged that anti-encroachment drives by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) have surged ahead of the G20 Summit, scheduled for later this year.

"We are not being allowed to run our businesses. Even those who have proper papers are being removed and no alternative (site) is being provided to us," said Mohammed Imran Khan, a street vendor.

The vendors raised slogans against MCD and demanded that they should be provided with dedicated, alternative spots to run their businesses.

"They called us encroachers but we are not. How can they be so cruel to us? Nobody is listening to us," said Santosh, another street vendor.

The vendors alleged that they have not been able to run their businesses since last year due to the MCD's atrocities.

"There are around five lakh street vendors in Delhi and all of them have faced losses due to Covid. Now, when things have turned better, the MCD is removing us," Santosh added.

There was a heavy police deployment outside the MCD office to maintain law and order. MCD officials did not respond to calls and texts from PTI for a response.