Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has urged the Maharashtra state government to issue a notification for the formation of the city’s street vendor committee ahead of the Model Code of Conduct for the upcoming assembly elections.

The delay in issuing the notification has hindered the functioning of the committee, which is essential for regulating street vending in the city.

Under the Maharashtra Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act, 2016, the PMC is required to establish a town vending committee to represent street vendors.

The PMC had already completed the election process for eight committee members and appointed other members over a year ago. However, some city-based organizations had raised objections to the appointments, prompting the PMC to revise the selection and submit the new names to the state government for approval.

Despite the completion of the election and the revision of appointments, the state government has not yet issued the mandatory notification for the committee. Without this notification, the committee cannot hold meetings or move forward with its agenda.

The PMC had submitted a proposal regarding the notification, but the Urban Development Department has yet to take any action, delaying the entire process.

In the meantime, the PMC has drafted a town vending scheme to regulate street vending, inviting feedback from stakeholders. This draft must be approved by the street vendor committee, but the lack of notification has created a technical obstacle.

The legal department of the PMC has advised that the committee will be considered officially formed only once the notification is issued by the state government.

With the Model Code of Conduct likely to come into effect soon due to the upcoming assembly elections, the PMC’s encroachment department has once again written to the Urban Development Department, requesting the urgent issuance of the notification.

Only once the notification is issued can the committee start functioning and address the concerns of street vendors in Pune.