A Step-by-Step Guide for Planning and Designing of Street Vending in Indian Cities

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A Step-by-Step Guide for Planning and Designing of Street Vending in Indian Cities

A Step-by-Step Guide for Planning and Designing of Street Vending in Indian Cities

Prepared by the Urban Management Centre (UMC) with support from the Gates Foundation, this publication offers a practical roadmap for Indian cities to plan, design, and manage street vending spaces that are inclusive, gender-responsive, and sustainable.

About the guide:
Street vending sustains the livelihoods of nearly 30 million people across India, contributing close to 7% of the nation’s GDP. However, vendors, especially women, often face challenges due to limited recognition, inadequate infrastructure, and exclusion from urban planning. This guide bridges the gap between policy and practice, translating the Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act, 2014 into implementable frameworks for Urban Local Bodies.

Key features include:
• A step-by-step methodology for planning, designing, and managing vending zones
• Gender-inclusive design principles for safe and accessible vending environments
• Integration of vending into city master plans, parking and mobility plans
• Practical recommendations for Town Vending Committees (TVCs) on allocation and regulation
• City case examples from Ahmedabad, Gandhinagar, Jodhpur, Dwarka and others
• Guidance on coordination between ULBs, traffic police, and vendor associations

Why it matters:
Street vending is central to India’s informal economy and public life. By integrating vending into urban design, cities can foster safer, more equitable and vibrant public spaces, advancing SDG 5 (Gender Equality), SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), and SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities).

📘 Read the full publication here
📅 Published: January 2025 | ISBN: 978-93-341-8220-0
✍️ Authors: Manvita Baradi, Meghna Malhotra
Supported by: Gates Foundation

We invite urban planners, policymakers, and livelihood practitioners to share experiences of integrating informal economies and street vending into inclusive urban design frameworks worldwide.

— *Meghna Malhotra*
Deputy Director, Urban Management Centre (UMC), India
Meghna Malhotra
Deputy Director, Urban Management Centre (UMC) – Ahmedabad, India

Urban Management Centre (UMC) is a not-for-profit organisation working with national and state governments to build capacities for inclusive and resilient urban governance.

Over the past decade, UMC has supported transformative sanitation initiatives such as:
• Garima (Odisha) – ensuring safety, dignity, and inclusion of sanitation workers
• Sanitation Workers Development Scheme (Tamil Nadu) – institutionalising welfare systems
• NAMASTE – supporting the national mission for sanitation worker empowerment
• City Livelihoods Action Plans (CLAP) – integrating urban livelihoods and gender inclusion

Visit: www.umcasia.org

Follow us: LinkedIn – Urban Management Centre

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