Mangaluru : Street vendors staged a protest in front of the Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) on Thursday opposing the civic body’s eviction drive against them.

Addressing a gathering, Sunil Kumar Bajal, honorary president, Street Vendors’ Association, affiliated to Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), said that the corporation should first notify hawking zones in the city. Vendors should be issued with identity cards.

The corporation formed a town vending committee one-and-half years ago and it has identified hawking zones. Though identity cards were ready they were yet to be distributed, Mr. Sunil, who is one of the members of the committee, said.

He said that the corporation was evicting street vendors from road junctions and circles since two days on the pretext that they were a hurdle to smooth flow of traffic and they were responsible for road accidents. It was not true, he said.

Mr. Sunil said traffic jams on the main roads in the city were a result of builders of commercial complexes not providing enough parking lots in their buildings. Vehicles were being parked on roadsides, coming in the way of smooth flow of traffic.

He said that the corporation should convene the meeting of the committee immediately. They submitted a memorandum to the Deputy Commissioner (Revenue) Raju Mogaveera. He said that the issue would be discussed with the Commissioner and a decision would be taken.

A corporation official said that the drive was continued on Thursday. No decision has been taken on stopping it.