At 5 a.m., before Delhi’s markets, alleys and streets fully awaken, 42-year-old Rekha is arranging vegetables under the dim, flickering streetlight near Munirka metro station. By lunchtime she would have already dealt with dozens of clients, called home two or three times to check on her two children, and most likely skipped lunch. For thousands of street vendors like Rekha, every day is a fight for survival, safety and dignity in the country’s capital.
For thousands of street vendors like Rekha, every day is a fight for survival, safety and dignity in the country’s capital.
Street vendors continue to be an integral and inseparable part of everyday life in Delhi. From vegetables to groceries, from clothes to affordable accessories, and from flowers to jewelry, almost everything can be found at these street stalls to make life a little easier for the city’s residents. But despite the fact that these providers play such a crucial role in the city’s economy, their problems often go unnoticed.
Low income and endless uncertainty
For street vendors in particular, the daily income is often uncertain and is barely enough to support a family. For some, getting into street vending is not a voluntary decision but a necessity. “There was no other work and I have a child to feed,” says a vendor near the INA market, tears rolling down her face. Rising household expenses, rising food prices and LPG shortages often put unavoidable pressure on daily survival, pushing women into street vending.
While some speak of rising costs, others are forced to street vending due to difficult family circumstances. Alcoholic husbands or an unstable household often force them to take up this work. For many, street vending also becomes a way to provide additional income to an already large family struggling to survive on a single source of income.
While some speak of rising costs, others are forced to street vending due to difficult family circumstances. Alcoholic husbands or an unstable household often force them to take up this work.
Street vendors don’t just have financial problems; They suffer from the “double burden” of managing both work and household chores. When they are forced to play three roles – housewife, mother and worker – they often become stressed and affect their well-being. After spending long hours on the streets, many return home to cook, clean and care for their children and families. Regardless of the challenges they face, their child’s future is what they truly care about.
Additionally, they struggle with the lack of adequate sanitation infrastructure. Although Delhi has an extensive network of public facilities, the overall system often falls short of basic standards. A severe lack of clean and accessible public toilets as well as poor hygiene and sanitation conditions remain a major challenge. The inadequate maintenance of these basic amenities contributes to the daily hardships of the saleswomen. Imagine spending 10 to 12 hours on the road with little to no access to clean toilets, drinking water or rest areas.
In crowded markets like Sarojini Nagar, Lajpat Nagar and Janpath, for example, one can often see banjara sellers, mostly women, who spend the entire day on their feet, often with their children by their side. Although there are public toilets in these areas, accessing them can be difficult, especially during peak hours or during menstruation. These facilities are often the only way for street vendors to relieve themselves and therefore rely on inadequate and poorly maintained infrastructure.
The effects of climate change and heat stress
In addition to income insecurity and inadequate infrastructure, climate change also poses a risk for street vendors in Delhi. Extreme weather events bring new struggles for survival that impact the health and daily earnings of street vendors. For saleswomen in particular, the extreme weather conditions in Delhi often have a negative impact on their earning potential.
In addition to income insecurity and inadequate infrastructure, climate change also poses a risk for street vendors in Delhi. Extreme weather events bring new struggles for survival that impact the health and daily earnings of street vendors. For saleswomen in particular, the extreme weather conditions in Delhi often have a negative impact on their earning potential.
During severe heatwaves, many saleswomen spend hours sitting and working in the scorching sun. As several heat wave deaths reported each year demonstrate, such exposure can quickly become life-threatening due to rising outside temperatures. Rising temperatures are having a silent impact on workers who work outdoors. especially women. The Periodic Labor Force Survey (PLFS) found that this is almost the case 90 percent of India’s workforce is employed in the informal sector, meaning workers have little or no protection from climate-related loss of income.
The battles continue throughout the seasons. During monsoon, rainwater enters their street stalls and damages their goods. Winter, on the other hand, affects their health and sometimes even poses a threat to their lives as they are forced to sit and work for hours in the bitter cold. And since their livelihood depends solely on their daily earnings, they cannot afford to stay at home, be it hot, cold or wet outside.
Security risks and threat of eviction
For many vendors, the struggle is not just limited to making a living in the capital, but also staying safe in public spaces, especially at night. Parvati, a 32-year-old woman who sells dupattas near Patel Chowk metro station, says early morning and late evening are often the scariest parts of her day. “Some deal with comments, and being surrounded by multiple drivers creates discomfort.” “Some stare while others try to talk unnecessarily.”
Arvati, a 32-year-old woman who sells dupattas near Patel Chowk metro station, says early morning and late evening are often the scariest parts of her day. “Some deal with comments, and being surrounded by multiple drivers creates discomfort.” “Some stare while others try to talk unnecessarily.”
In January 2026, an 11-year-old girl was said to have sold roses at a traffic light in central Delhi kidnapped and raped by an e-rickshaw driver who was later arrested. The driver reportedly lured her away with the promise of helping sell her flowers. The girl was taken to a wooded area, sexually abused and left unconscious. This single incident reveals the harsh reality of street vending that many women in the informal sector face on a daily basis. However, like many other saleswomen, Parvati continues to face constant pressure to manage her fears while making a living.
When selling on the street, vendors also face the risk of evictions and confiscation by the authorities. Although the Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act 2014 provides legal protection against arbitrary harassment and eviction and requires prior notice before eviction or relocation operations, numerous news reports suggest that the reality remains significantly different. Women and girls involved in street vending continue to face a number of challenges, including: Harassment and evictions by the city administration. This highlights the significant gap between policy provisions and their implementation.
In a city that never really stops moving, these women sit quietly behind their stalls day after day. People might stop to buy vegetables, haggle over a pair of jhumkas, pick up a bouquet of sunflowers at a traffic light, or stop by to drink a cup of tea that they sell. But their problems often go unnoticed.
In a city that never really stops moving, these women sit quietly behind their stalls day after day. People might stop to buy vegetables, haggle over a pair of jhumkas, pick up a bouquet of sunflowers at a traffic light, or stop by to drink a cup of tea that they sell. But their problems often go unnoticed.
For many vendors, these streets are not just workplaces; These are rooms in which they spend a large part of their lives. Here they simultaneously cope with daily exhaustion and fear, take responsibility and hold on to hope. Their day begins long before sunrise and often continues even after the city has fallen asleep, returning home to attend to domestic duties. Juggling between struggle and survival, these women set out every day hoping to earn a little more than they did yesterday.
Neha Kumari is a journalist with Akashvani (All India Radio) and a graduate of the Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC). With a passion for writing and storytelling, she enjoys covering human interest stories, arts and culture while exploring innovative forms of digital storytelling. In her free time, she is often found reading books or thinking about her next article, story, or creative project.
