Women vendors tell their tale of woes
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, February 28 2025: Claiming that frequent police crackdowns have severely impacted their ability to earn a living, with some days yielding no income at all, street vendors operating at Khwairamband Keithel areas have urged the authorities to allocate a designated space for them.

It is reported that vendors operating on the western side of Khwairamband Keithel Ngari Dukan Pareng, roadsides of Nagamapal, adjacent areas of Uripok Cheirap Court complex and Allu Galli are exempted from police crackdowns as Imphal Municipal Corporation (IMC) permits them.

But not everyone can go to these places and sell goods.

But, vendors operating between Ima Leimarel Sidabi Keithel and Ima Phouoibi Keithel and some of its adjacent areas face frequent police dispersal.

Women vendors tell their tale of woes

The reason cited by police personnel is that they were trying to clear the road for VIP visits.

Speaking to The Sangai Express in this regard, L Tombi Leima (45), a street vendor from Wangkhei, said that hundreds of street vendors have been eking out a living by selling fresh produce, local handicrafts, and other essential items at Khwairamband Keithel, a prominent marketplace in Imphal for years.

This market, apart from being iconic, is a lifeline for these vendors, providing them with a platform to earn a daily income and support their families, she explained.

She went on to state she often found herself skipping dinner due to the meager earnings resulting from police crackdowns.

"There were days when I couldn't even earn a single rupee," Tombi said.

To make matters worse, Tombi revealed that vegetables she purchased from wholesalers would occasionally perish due to the uncertainty surrounding her business.

Saying that Imphal Municipal Corporation (IMC) allows them to operate from the crack of dawn till 8 am, Tombi maintained that police crackdowns before 8 am create a sense of panic among vendors, making it difficult for them to earn a living.

Street vendors are forced to sell their goods on roadsides as storing vegetables for an extended period is impossible, she said, adding that the police, however, relentlessly chase them, leaving them in a state of constant fear and anxiety.

Saying that street vendors are not the sole cause of traffic congestion, she maintained that unethical parking is the major contributor to traffic problems.

She appealed to the City police to relax their strict enforcement and street vendors to make a living.

Soibam Nungshi Leima, an internally displaced person from Churachandpur currently taking refuge in Imphal East, said that she has been vending vegetables at Khwairamband Keithel since last year as the subsidy provided by the Government is insufficient to support her family needs.

Urging the authority to provide them a designated place instead of constantly chasing them away and discarding their goods, she asked the authorities to consider resettling them in Churachandpur if they are going to be treated like criminals.