Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) district vice president Donepudi Kasinath alleged on Monday (July 27, 2026) that the governments are always ready to allocate land to major corporations, such as Google or Reliance, at nominal prices and provide them with incentives, but turn their backs on street vendors, who rely heavily on their everyday hustle for livelihoods.

Staging a demonstration against the eviction of street vendors outside the Collectorate in Vijayawada, Mr. Kasinath alleged that while governments grant extensive tax exemptions to major companies in the name of employment generation, they continue to target street vendors.

Rather than supporting them, the authorities conduct raids, seize LPG cylinders used by food vendors, and subject them to harassment, he said.

Opposing the zoning system introduced in Vijayawada as part of which vending is banned on certain roads and restricted to limited hours on other roads, Mr. Kasinath said street vendors naturally depend on areas with high public footfall and banning vending in commercial locations only harms the vendors.

He added that while every city is required to establish a Town Vending Committee (TVC), with 40% representation from street vendors, these committees are dominated by ruling-party representatives and decisions are made unilaterally.

The CITU leaders demanded that the eviction of street vendors being carried out across the State be halted immediately. They also demanded timely issuance of identity cards to all eligible vendors, provision of subsidised loans, development of proper vending zones with adequate infrastructure and basic amenities at locations where vendors can carry out their businesses without harassment.

Published - July 27, 2026 11:01 pm IST