Obstacle on Road - Steet Vendor, Illegal construction by Retail Shops

What do you imagine? If I say you a word 'Market'. A crowded, noisy street with people. All commercial activities done to buy and sell goods at the competitive prices. Obstacle on the road for traffic, Markets on the street are not designed, they are self created at a convenient location by the local sellers and buyers.

Unlicensed street vendors are all over the city these days. Presumably, a bunch of raggedy looking people hawking fruits, vegetables, clothes, and food. People prefer to buy from them because of the cheaper prices, though the products have no warranty or guarantee. At pick hour time, in the evening chaos can be seen on the street, and people walk on the road since they have no room left to walk on the pavement. Slowly moving traffic seems to be dangerous as the traffic move close to the walkers. With the little money, one can start this street vendor business, as the hawker don't have to rent or buy property to do the business.

Periodically, police gets tough and clear the path, in case of police gets complaints about them. But the street vendors are united bunch and will resist for their survival and may shift to another street. Authorities provides the space to evacuate the hawkers from the street, but eventually new vendors come back on the street. Actually the vested interest of cops, Municipality authorities and some unsocial elements (bhai) keep them always on the street. Personally, I like having the vendors on the corner. It makes the walk a bit of an obstacle course, but cheap fruit and a snack (Pani-Puri) is never far away.

Have you ever observed, why does retail shop keeper extend their shops on foot-path? They keep certain product and sign board of their shop outside their shop. Probably, they think that's way to attract customers from their competitors and don't realise that in fact, their shops looks ugly. Sometimes retails construct their shops illegally to stay ahead of all the other shops, trying look in front to attract the customers. These way actually they creating more trouble on street for traffic jams.

Tibetan / Nepalese are the best examples of street vendors, but they come in the city with Authorities permission, get the rented space from Municipality and do their business. It is also disbelief that street hawkers are cheaper, clothes, fruits, vegetable can be bought cheaper from the stores. Never buy stuff from the store, who is expanding his business in public land and let him inform about that.