For street vendors, it’s a long way home

Life is one long road for Shanthi, literally. The 40-year-old has been living on the platform along Usman Road for more than three years now. Before that, she lived at a spot near Light House, before moving to Usman Road after her husband’s death. After selling wares at signals, she comes to the location and spends the night with her two daughters. Shanthi’s ‘neighbour’ is Meenakshi (35), who has been living on the same platform for more than 20 years now. 

Their earlier lives were no different, they said in unison. “Only the roads and the locations changed. We were born on these platforms, raised on them and we would probably die on one,” said Shanthi, softening a little. Pointing to her daughters, she said, “I am very scared for my daughters. They are at an impressionable age. I feel like I am sitting on needles. So many drunk men cross this spot during nights. I worry about my daughters’ safety.” 

They have been approached time and again by officials for relocating them to shelters. “Just last week, a few officials from the Corporation came here asking us to move into shelters. But they also said the ones in the area are full,” said Meenakshi. “How can I live there with my family – my husband, a son and a daughter. Moreover, they are just temporary homes. We can’t stay there for more than three to six months. What happens after that? We have to get back to the same platforms.” 

According to R Geetha, advisor, Unorganised Workers’ Federation, a large section of street vendors in Koyambedu Market and Parry’s Corner is left in the lurch due to lack of shelters for families. “They are concentrated in a few spots like these because of the nature of their work. Street vendors start their day early, and like load men who work in the middle of the night, it is advantageous for them to stay close to their work spots. They can’t be expected to stay in places like Perumbakkam. That would make them lose a lot of time travelling.”

The lack of options, Geetha said, had resulted in about 200-300 vendors at the market taking to the platforms during nights. “With a large number of them being women, there is absolutely no safety for them or their children,” she said. 

Among the street vendors in Koyambedu, many with homes too prefer to stay on the streets owing to the distance, said Father Sebastian, director, Jesuit Migrant Service. “There have been instances of street vendors staying in shelters, where there are strict policies regarding time. They are not allowed to leave before 5 am and for someone who is selling flowers or vegetables, the day begins much early. To make it convenient for these people, a transit home within the market complex will be a good idea,” he said.

According to a recent Corporation survey, there are around 39,217 vendors in the city. But just about 27,000 could be verified for issuing the biometric cards ahead of the polls for the Town Vending Committees (TVC) across 15 zones. Experts added that in every zone, about 40 per cent of them would be homeless. While there are around 48 night shelters being operated in the city across categories, including for those with mental issues, the street vendors with families are yet to find a space among them. According to a Supreme Court ruling, there must be one shelter per one lakh population. Efforts are on to increase the numbers but Geetha said these would not suffice. 

Officials of the Health Department, who are in charge of the shelters, said that it was impossible to cover families for shelters, as they are spread across zones. Revenue Department officials said one of the objectives to form the TVCs was to give them a platform for grievances, apart from a host of functions like clear demarcation of vending and non-vending zones and allowing authorised vendors in the approved areas. “They can present their woes regarding shelters with the committee and we will see what can be done about it,” said a senior official from the department. 

Vanessa Peter, policy researcher, Information and Resource Centre for the Deprived Urban Communities, said that shelters were just a pit stop and they must get livelihood linkages. She pointed out that Tamil Nadu Corporation for Development of Women (TNCDW) is now the nodal department for National Urban Livelihoods Mission (NULM) in Tamil Nadu. Previously it was the Department of Municipal Administration and Water Supply (MAWS). Of the seven components of NULM, four are with TNCDW and two are under MAWS. She said, “Tamil Nadu Slum Clearance Board (TNSCB), which is the nodal department for housing for the urban poor, are not in the loop in any of the planning and implementation process. TNCDW is under the Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Department, which was engaged in implementing National Rural Livelihood Mission, is now implementing Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Urban Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NULM). TNCDW has expertise in rural livelihood. But the urban livelihood issues are very different. Therefore, we recommend that the programme should be implemented by MAWS or the State Housing and Urban Development Department in coordination with the various stakeholders.” She added that there is no urban poverty alleviation approach. 

Geetha of Unorganised Workers’ Federation questions the purpose of the vacant lands and surplus lands with the government. “These can be used for the benefit of the homeless. It is also the prerogative of the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority to come up with a plan accommodating this section of the population,” she said. 

Number of street vendors verified across 15 zones 27,000

Homeless people in a select location 30-40%