Corpn beautification plan may spoil our livelihood: Marina vendors

“I run this shop on my sister’s behalf, whose husband lost his hands and legs in an accident. This is the sole means of income for her family of four. I also work as a domestic help in a house nearby in the evenings, and man the shop in the morning. But our earnings are not enough to make ends meet,” said Bhaskar, one of the vendors here.

Admitting that the stall does not have a licence for carrying out business on the beach, Bhaskar said if the stall was removed, his sister would have to find alternative work. In the meantime, she would be reliant on him for money.

According to the information that the Corporation Commissioner submitted to the High Court, only 808 of the 1,962 shops have UID cards. The move has caused concerns even among those with licenses, who are worried about what is in store when the plan is finalised.

The Corporation is planning to provide the vendors smart carts made of fiberglass and steel, which would be arranged perpendicular to the service road. But some like Babu, who runs a beverage stall, believe that shifting the position of the stalls would hurt business.

“The main business we get is from those who park their vehicles here and look for something to eat near the road. But business has been down over the last year. I make Rs 200 during the weekends, when there is a crowd. Today, I’ve made Rs 90,” he said, adding that he supplements his income by fishing and running a store along with his mother.

According to Ettiyappan, who owns a food stall, there are many who run a business without a licence because they have no other means of income. “Employment is tough to find all over the city. There are nearly 2,000 vendors on the beach who do business here, and they have families and rents to pay. Everyone’s business will be affected, licence or no licence,” he said.