The Delhi High Court has revived a 2017 writ petition concerning unauthorised vending and encroachments in Chandni Chowk, observing that the situation in the area has reached an “alarming” state due to continued illegal and unregulated vending. A Division Bench of Justice Prathiba M. Singh and Justice Dinesh Bhatt directed senior officials of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) and Delhi Police to convene an urgent meeting and take necessary action to remove unauthorised vendors from three main roads in the area. The Court also made clear that vendors cannot operate on these roads even if they possess Certificates of Vending.
The petition was filed by Chandni Chowk Sarv Vyapar Mandal, which alleged that the Special Task Force (STF), constituted to prevent illegal hawking, vending and encroachments, had become inactive. The petitioner contended that despite repeated representations to the STF, unauthorised vending continued unabated in the area.
The Court noted that Chandni Chowk, Subhash Marg and adjoining areas had been declared No-Vending and No-Squatting zones pursuant to directions of the Supreme Court in Gainda Ram v. MCD, (2010) 10 SCC 715. In April 2022, the High Court had directed that vending should not take place on three roads: the main Chandni Chowk road from Red Fort to Fatehpuri, H.C. Sen Marg and Subhash Marg. A Special Task Force comprising officials of the MCD, Delhi Police and other agencies was subsequently constituted to prevent the recurrence of encroachments.
The writ petition had earlier been disposed of in December 2023 after the authorities reported that the STF had conducted 167 encroachment removal drives covering 510.40 km, seized 3,236 articles and recovered penalties of ₹2.51 lakh. However, the petitioner approached the Court again, alleging that the STF had failed to implement its own decisions.
Taking note of photographs placed on record showing vendors occupying public spaces, the Bench observed:
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“A perusal of the photographs extracted above reveals an alarming state of affairs, wherein vending is continuing in a hazardous, chaotic and unregulated manner. The STF, in fact, ought to be conscious of its duties and the decision taken by it on 7th December, 2023. Had the STF been functioning effectively and discharging its obligations, the present state of affairs would not have enured. The STF is responsible for ensuring strict compliance with its own decisions as well as the orders passed by this Court.”
The Bench directed the Assistant Commissioner, City-SP Zone, MCD, the DCP (North), DCP (Traffic), North, and Additional DCP-I, North District, Delhi Police, to convene an urgent meeting on November 6, 2026, to implement the decisions taken by the STF in December 2023. Three representatives of the petitioner society were also permitted to participate in the meeting.
The Court directed the concerned officials to remove all unauthorised and irregular vending activities from the three identified roads and ensure that such vending and encroachments do not recur. It also called for a status report from the concerned Commissioners before the next hearing.
The application seeking revival was allowed, and the writ petition was restored to its original number and position. The matter has been listed for hearing on November 26, 2026.
