ISSN (Online) 2581-9429

IJARSCT ISSN (Print) 2581-942X

International Journal of Advanced Research in Science, Communication and Technology (IJARSCT)

Volume 10, Issue 2, October 2020

An Empirical Study on the Sustainability of Migrant

Street Vendors After Lockdown in Mumbai Metro
Mrs Nandini Jagannarayan1 and Dr. T. A. Jayachitra2
Assistant Professor and Head, B. Com (Banking & Insurance)1
RJ College of Arts, Science and Commerce, Ghatkopar (West), Mumbai - 400086
Assistant Professor, Department of Economics2
Avinashilingam University for Women and Higher Education, Coimbatore- 641043

Abstract: Mumbai's popular street snacks like 'bhelpuri', 'paanipuri, Vada pav, sandwich, morning
breakfast which were once a feast to any hungry person on the street. They were time savers and also quick
bites for hunger at affordable prices. Mumbai metro, has proved to be a home for migrant street food
vendors from any part of the country , who brought a of hope and dreams with them as they came in to the
city in search of an opportunity. Their shops have been very crowded from the start of their businesses
during the day and closure of their businesses, late in the evening or night. But, the outbreak of Covid -19,
when the government announced lock down of various activities, their hopes and dreams were completely
shattered. Current study focuses on the living conditions of migrant workers and the impact of the closure of
their businesses and its impact on their falling income and rising expenditures and consequently on their
falling savings. This is empirically proved by collecting information from 71 respondents who are migrants
in to the city and are unable to go back to their home towns.

Keywords: Street food vendors, Covid-19, Lock down, Migrant workers, Quality of life

I. INTRODUCTION
In Mumbai, the poor people survive by working in the informal sector. This is due to their poverty and lack of a
proper employment opportunity in the organised sector and also due to employment opportunities in their home town.
These migrant workers, possess less amount of skills and hence set out seeking employment in metro cities like
Mumbai. One of the flourishing businesses in a metro like Mumbai is food. Mumbai is famous for its street food
vending due to its affordable prices and availability when one is hungry. Hence the city was very promising to all the
street food vendors whose shops were ever crowded, be it a heavy rain or a hot sunny weather. Though the income in
this profession is low, the investment too is low and the people do not require special skills or training. Hence for these
people, men and women, street vending is the easiest form for earning their livelihood. There is also another section of
the urban population that has taken to street vending, These people, or their spouses, were once engaged in better paid
jobs in the formal sector. Most of them were employed in the textile mills in Mumbai and Ahmedabad and engineering
firms in Calcutta. Formal sector workers in these three metropolises have had to face largescale unemployment due to
the closure of these industries. Many of them, or their wives, have become street vendors in order to eke out a living.
But the spread of Corona Virus has made their lives miserable due to lock down imposed on various activities as
measure to prevent the spread of the deadly virus. These vendors, who depended on their daily earnings to feed their
family, are now in a fix.

II. REVIEW OF LITERATURE

Street food vendors are considered to be working in the unorganised sector of the economy. They face a lot of
problems in running their business and earning whatever they can by striving through the whole day. Yet during the
lock down, they are unable to earn even the bare minimum required for them for their basic living. A. H. Subratty P.
Beeharry, M. ChanSun (2004) in their study in “A survey of hygiene practices among food vendors in rural areas in
Mauritius” found that generally food vendors were quite aware of hygiene factors, hough they did not follow the same.
Copyright to IJARCST DOI: 513.102020/IJARSCT 22
www.ijarsct.co.in
 ISSN (Online) 2581-9429
IJARSCT ISSN (Print) 2581-942X

International Journal of Advanced Research in Science, Communication and Technology (IJARSCT)

Volume 10, Issue 2, October 2020

The study threw light on their enhancement of health education. Geetam Tiwari (2000) conducted a study on street food
vendors. These vendors occupy the foot paths and obstruct the pedestrians from moving freely on the foot path and
hence their business is considered to be a problem by pedestrians and municipal corporations because of which they
keep moving from one place to another and packing up their business when they see the municipal corporation
patrolling.

III. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

A) Data Source
Primary data: An interview schedule was administered to 75 residents of K.N. Gaikwad Marg, (popularly known as
“Siddarth colony”) who were in to street food vending businesses. This was trimmed down to 71 responses based on
the relevance of responses. Snowball sampling technique was adopted. Data was collection was done in two parts. One
part on their personal details, socio economic details and quality of living was collected in September 2019 to October
2019 and the second part was July 2020 during the lock down imposed to investigate the effect of the lock down on
their socio economic status. The researcher also used observation method to assess their living environment.
Secondary: M.Phil/ PhD Thesis, Journals and other periodicals.
The data so collected was statistically analysed using statistical packages. Statistical tools fit were descriptive –
frequency analysis and quality of living index was used to understand their quality of living.

IV. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

A) Demographic and Social Profile
Table 1: Age wise Gender Distribution of the respondents
AGE Male Female Total
No of Respondents
21-30 6(8.45) 3(4.23) 9(12.68)
31 -40 13(18.31) 9(12.68) 22(30.99)
41 -50 13(18.31) 7(9.86) 20(28.17)
51-60 5(7.04) 7(9.86) 12(16.90)
Above 60 6(8.45) 2(2.82) 8(11.27)
Total 43(60.56) 28(39.44) 71(100)
Source: Estimation based on field survey.
Figures in bracket indicate percentages
Table 1 above shows the age wise gender distribution of the respondents. Out of the 71 respondents surveyed, over
sixty per cent of them were males and thirty nine of them were women. Majority of them (forty two per cent) were in
the age group of 30 to fifty.
Table 2: Age/ Gender wise Marital Status of the respondents
Marital Status Never Married Married Separated Widowed Total
Age group Male Female Male Female Male Female Male Female
21-30 4 1 2 2 0 0 0 0 9
31 -40 3 2 8 2 2 5 0 0 22
41 -50 1 0 11 5 1 1 0 1 20
51-60 0 1 4 2 0 1 1 3 12
above 60 1 0 3 0 0 0 2 2 8
Total 9 4 28 11 3 7 3 6 71
Copyright to IJARCST DOI: 513.102020/IJARSCT 23
www.ijarsct.co.in
 ISSN (Online) 2581-9429
IJARSCT ISSN (Print) 2581-942X

International Journal of Advanced Research in Science, Communication and Technology (IJARSCT)

Volume 10, Issue 2, October 2020

Source: Estimation based on field survey

Table 2 shows the age/ gender wise marital status of the respondents. Majority of the respondents (28 males and 11
females) are married.
Table 3: Age/ Gender wise educational profile of the respondents
Educational Primary Secondary Class 10 Class 12
Status Illiterate schooling Schooling completed completed Total
Gender
Age Male Female Male Female Male Female Male Female Male Female
21-30 0 0 0 1 2 1 2 1 2 0 9
31 -40 3 2 5 2 4 1 1 3 0 1 22
41 -50 6 3 6 2 1 2 0 0 0 0 20
51-60 2 2 3 2 3 0 0 0 0 0 12
above 60 2 2 2 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 8
Total 13 9 16 7 12 4 3 4 2 1 71
Source: Estimation based on field survey
Table 3, above, shows the literacy level of the respondents. Majority of the respondents have basic level of schooling at
least primary level. Only a few (31 percent of the total respondents are illiterates.

B) Scio Economic Profile of the Respondents

Figure 1: Number of dependants on the respondents

Number of dependants on the respondents

[VALUE]

9 6
9 9

13
22

0 1 2 3 4 5 more than 5

Source: Estimation based on field survey

Figure 1 above shows the number of dependents the respondents are currently supporting. Thirty one percent of the
respondents had four dependants while 13 percent of the respondents had even five people depending on their income.
Very few respondents (four per cent and eight percent respectively) no dependants or one dependant for support.
Economic Profile of the respondents

Copyright to IJARCST DOI: 513.102020/IJARSCT 24

www.ijarsct.co.in
 ISSN (Online) 2581-9429
IJARSCT ISSN (Print) 2581-942X

International Journal of Advanced Research in Science, Communication and Technology (IJARSCT)

Volume 10, Issue 2, October 2020

Figure 22: Monthly earnings of the respondents

MONTHLY EARNINGS OF THE RESPONDENTS

45 35
33
40 30
29 41
35
25
30
25 20
20 15
15
9 10
10 13
12 5
5 5
0 0 0
<Rs 10000 Rs10,000 -20,000 Rs20,000-30000 above Rs 30000

Before Lockdown During Lockdown Impo

Source: Estimation based on field survey.

Figure 2 above, shows the monthly
onthly earnings of the respondents before lock down and the effect of the lockdown
imposed by the government due to the outbreak of the pandemic (Covid-19).
(Covid 19). This shows a steep decline in the income
of the respondents who were dependant of the street vending
vendi for their livelihoods
4 Assets owned by them in Mumbai
Table 4:
Assets Number of respondents
Two wheeler 12 (16.9)
Television 48 (67.61)
Refrigerator 32 (45.07)
washing mashing 12 (16.9)
Furniture 56 (78.87)
Gold (upto 100 grams) 13 (18.31)
Silver upto 250 grams 62 (87.32)
Source: Estimation based on field survey.
Table 4,, above shows the assets owned by the respondents during the period of Survey. Over 87 per cent of the
respondents had over 250 grams of silver. Many of them (over 67.61 per per cent) possessed television sets also. Fifty six
out of the seventy one respondents, which accounts for a little less than seventy nine percent also had basic furnitures
like chairs, tables, a cot to sleep on in their houses
3 Type of House Living in
Figure 3:

Type of Houses living in

2, 3%
Owned
Rented
69, 97%

Source: Estimation based on field survey.

Copyright to IJARCST DOI: 513.102020/IJARSCT 25
www.ijarsct.co.in
 ISSN (Online) 2581-9429
IJARSCT ISSN (Print) 2581-942X

International Journal of Advanced Research in Science, Communication and Technology (IJARSCT)

Volume 10, Issue 2, October 2020

Figure 3 shows the if the respondents are living in owned or rented homes. Majority, ninety seven per cent of the respondents, seem
to be living in rented homes.
Table 5: 24*7 Water Facilities
Response No of Respondnets
Yes 1 (1.41)
No 70 (98.59)
Total 71 (100)
Source: Estimation based on field survey.
Figures in bracket indicate percentages
The Table (no5) above shows the access to water facilities for the respondents. Over ninety eight per cent f the
respondents do not have access to 24*7 water. Leave aside drinking water, they have access to water facility only for
about 2-3 hours during the day. They fill water during that that time for the entire household. There are a minimum 450
houses in each of the locality surveyed. In case they miss filling water, they have to manage without water the rest of
the day. This shows their pathetic living condition. Only 16 out of the 71 respondents fill water from a private taps.
Rest of them fill water from shared taps.
Monthly Consumption Expenditure
Figure 4: Monthly Consumption Expenditure of the respondents

Source: Estimation based on field survey

The above figure shows the monthly consumption expenditure of the respondents before and during lockdown. It can
be seen that food income shows a rise during lock down and so does alcohol as people tend to consume more alcohol
when they lose their jobs, lose their livelihoods. While in the case of non- food expenditures, they have come down,
though not significantly. But there is a steep fall in the miscellaneous (entertainment) expenses during lockdown as
compared to before lock down.
Table 6: Monthly savings of the respondents
Monthly savings of the respondents
Before Lock Down During Lockdown
Rs 0-2000 22 63
Rs 2000-4000 38 8
Rs4000-6000 11 0
Total 71 71
Source: Estimation based on field survey

Copyright to IJARCST DOI: 513.102020/IJARSCT 26

www.ijarsct.co.in
 ISSN (Online) 2581-9429
IJARSCT ISSN (Print) 2581-942X

International Journal of Advanced Research in Science, Communication and Technology (IJARSCT)

Volume 10, Issue 2, October 2020

Monthly savings amount can be seen in the above table (no ). Monthly savings amount has dropped many respondents
saved even upto Rs 600 a month before the lock down.
down. Now, this has dropped drastically. Either they don’t save at all
or save a lot lesser than what they were saving. This is consequent to the fall in their income and rise in expenditures
also.
7 Health condition prior to lockdown imposed
Table 7:
S. No Common
Comm sicknesses No of Respondents
1. Fever 48
2. Diarrhoea 29
3. Stomach Pain 19
6. Leg and Hand Pain 63
7. Acidity 60
8. Thyroid 20
9 Asthma 42
10 Eyesight 22
11 Jointpain 48
12 Urinary infection 36
13 Skin Allergy 40
14 Kidney Stone 34
e: Estimation based on field survey
Source:
The above table shows some of the common illnesses faced by the respondents. Majority of them face (63 and 60)
illnesses like leg and hand aches and even Acidity issues, when asked about diabetes and blood pressure, all of them
unanimously said that they haven’t got it tested.
Figure 5: preferred Hospitals visited for treating illnesses before lockdown was imposed

HOSPITALS VISITED FOR TREATMENT WHEN THEY FALL

ILL
Government Private Other

3%
24%

73%

Source: Estimation based on field survey

The above figure shows the preferred hospitals, the respondents vvisited
isited prior to the pandemic situation. Majority of
them said that they preferred government hospitals as treatment was less expensive and they cannot afford to pay the
bills of private hospitals. Many of them also said that in a week, at least once they have
have to visit the hospitals as their
family members also frequently fall ill. They are all residents of chawls where, they have to share a common toilet and
the area of their residence has a very poor sanitation facility.

Copyright to IJARCST DOI: 513.102020/IJARSCT 27

www.ijarsct.co.in
 ISSN (Online) 2581-9429
IJARSCT ISSN (Print) 2581-942X

International Journal of Advanced Research in Science, Communication and Technology (IJARSCT)

Volume 10, Issue 2, October 2020

C) QUALITY OF LIFE INDEX (QLI)

To study the levels of living and economic condition among the women vendors in Coimbatore district quality of
index was constructed. In development economics, the quality of life is usually discussed in terms of
consumption expenditure, minimum calorie intake norms and income. Hence in present study the Quality of
Life Index were constructed by using the following indicators namely education, occupation, annual income,
annual per capita income, calorie intake (breakfast, lunch and dinner), food expenditure, non food expenditure,
type of housing,, source of drinking water, drainage facility and toilet facility
Table no 8: Distribution of the Households on the Basis of Composite Index
Composite Pani puri Break fast Chinese Snack Sandwich All
index walas vendors Fast food Vendors walas
95
Less than 30 25 (5.6) 27 (6.1) 19 (4.3) 5 (1.1) 19 (4.3)
(21.3)
192
30 – 40 37 (8.3) 43 (9.7) 35 (7.9) 42 (9.4) 35 (7.9)
(43.1)
139
40 – 50 29 (6.5) 21 (4.7) 39 (8.8) 32 (7.2) 18 (4.0)
(31.2)
19
50 and above 3 (0.7) 1 (0.2) 1(0.2) 11 (2.5) 3 (0.7)
(4.3)
Source: Estimation based on field survey
Majority (43 per cent) of the women venders were in the index range of 30 – 40, followed by 31 per cent and
21 per cent in the range of 40 – 50 and less than 30 and remaining 4 per cent in the range of 50 and above. In
comparing the nature of products sold among the range 30 to 40, 10 percent belong to break fast vendors
followed by snack vendors of 9.4 per cent, followed by
To find out the association between their product sold and their standard of living.
Table 9: Chi-Square Tests
Value df Asymp. Sig. (2-
sided)
Pearson Chi-Square 42.013 12 .000
Likelihood Ratio 43.525 12 .000

N of Valid Cases 445

Source: Estimation based on field survey
The above table suggest that there is association between the product sold and their quality of life index.

D) Regression
Dependent variable : income of the respondents
Explanatory variables : Age, nature of product sold, number of dependents in the family, Assets posesessed, type of
house living in
Table 10: Regression analysis
Unstandardized Standardized T Sig.
Coefficients Coefficients
B Std. Error Beta
(Constant) 3.652 .343 10.639 .000
Age .330 .026 .498 12.470 .000
nature of product sold .133 .024 .220 5.599 .000
No of dependents -.565 .097 -.248 -5.836 .000

Copyright to IJARCST DOI: 513.102020/IJARSCT 28

www.ijarsct.co.in
 ISSN (Online) 2581-9429
IJARSCT ISSN (Print) 2581-942X

International Journal of Advanced Research in Science, Communication and Technology (IJARSCT)

Volume 10, Issue 2, October 2020

Type of House Living in -.105 .029 -.152 -3.637 .000

Assets possessed -.146 .057 -.103 -2.563 .011
Source: Estimation based on field survey
These estimates reveals the relationship between the independent variables and the dependent variable. These estimates
that an increase in age ( .33 unit) has a positive increase in the amount of increase in income
Table 11: Model Summary
Model R R Square Adjusted R Square Std. Error of the Estimate

.783e .613 .532 .069

Source: Estimation based on field survey
e. Predictors: (Constant), Age, nature of product sold, working days, Religion, savings
The model summary reports the strength of the relationship between the model and the dependent variable. The
regression accounts for 61 percent of the variance in the dependent variable
Table 12: ANOVAa
Model Sum of Df Mean Square F Sig.
Squares
Regression 107.138 5 21.428 45.172 .000f
Residual 208.241 439 .474
Total 315.380 444
Source: Estimation based on field survey
a. Dependent Variable: Respondents of the income
f. Predictors: (Constant), Age, nature of product sold, number of dependents, Religion, savings

V. CONCLUSION
Mumbai, which once was home for any migrant from anywhere, has now become unliveable and also unleavable.
These migrants, who were making both their ends meet by vending food stuff are now unable to work as people don’t
consume outside food any more due to the outbreak of the pandemic. While other businesses can resume their working
and can even hope to make up for the loss in future, the future forthese vendors appears to be very bleak with the
increasing health concerns, mounting expenditures and falling income levels. The government or NGOs or Social
workers should take some initiative to help them out.

REFERENCES
[1]. The Lancet. (2020). India under COVID-19 Lockdown. The Lancet 395 (10233): 1315.
https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(20)30938-7. Accessed 11 June 2020.
[2]. Jayachitra T.A, Nandini Jagannarayan(2020), Social and Emotional Health survey among Voluntary and
Involuntary Singlehood women in select suburbs of Mumbai city,Studies in Indian Place Names 40 (53), 235-
240, 2020
[3]. Jayachitra T.A, Nandini Jagannarayan(2020), Jayachitra T.A, Nandini Jagannarayan(2020), An Empirical
Study on Customer’s extensive usage of net banking Facility in Gobichettipalayam, Erode District, Studies in
Indian Place Names, Vol40-Isuue 36-February 2020, 11-18
[4]. Jayachitra T.A, Nandini Jagannarayan(2020), An Empirical Study on Student’s Learning Through e -Learning
Modules Offered by Corporate Through Colleges in Mumbai , THINK INDIA JOURNAL, Vol-22-Issue-33-
December-2019
[5]. Jayachitra T.A, Nandini Jagannarayan(2020),A Study on Transformation of Indian Culture: Women in Night
Shift Work, Consequences on Physical and Mental Health– With Special Reference of Private Hospitals in

Copyright to IJARCST DOI: 513.102020/IJARSCT 29

www.ijarsct.co.in
 ISSN (Online) 2581-9429
IJARSCT ISSN (Print) 2581-942X

International Journal of Advanced Research in Science, Communication and Technology (IJARSCT)

Volume 10, Issue 2, October 2020

Mumbai City Indian Place Names, TPNS India Vol 40. Isuue 31, Page nos 75-81, ISSN 2394-3114, Vol 40.
Isuue 35, February 2020
[6]. Jayachitra T.A, Nandini Jagannarayan(2020) “QUALITY OF WORK LIFE OF WOMEN EMPLOYEES IN
BANKING INDUSTRY with special reference to employees of selected private sector banks in
Gobichettipalayam district, Tamilnadu” Studies in Indian Place Names (UGC CARE Journal) ISSN 2394-
3114 with Impact Factor 6.2 in March 2020 Issue.
[7]. Jayachitra T.A, Nandini Jagannarayan(2020) “Women enrolment in Higher education-- parents’ perspective of
safety aspect as a determinant of enrolling their daughter in colleges for higher education in rural Coimbatore
district, Tamilnadu”, Studies in Indian Place Names (UGC CARE Journal) ISSN 2394-3114 with Impact
Factor 6.2 in March 2020 Issue.
[8]. Nandini Jagannarayan and Jayachitra TA (2020), “Women Safety!! A major determinant of women enrolling
in Higher Education: A study of factors attributing to high enrolment rates of women in colleges in
Coimbatore city, Studies in Indian Place Names 40 (53), 235-240, 2020, pp: 695-708
[9]. Nandini Jagannarayan and Shivaji Pawar (2020), An empirical Study on impact of poor physical health on
Self Management and Social Skills of female sex workers in Mumbai City, IJEDR 2020, vol 8, issue 3,: 253-
261
[10]. Nandini Jagannarayan and Jayachitra T.A., (2020), An Empirical Study On Social Skills Among Single
Women Residing In Select Suburbs Of Mumbai City, International Journal of Advance and Innovative
Research Volume 7, Issue 3 (III): July - September, 2020 ; pp 75-81
[11]. Nandini Jagannarayan, Et Al(2020), An Empirical Study Of Emotional Resilience And Positive Self
Management Among Mumbaikars During Financial Distress... Journal of Advance and Innovative Research
Volume 7, Issue 3 (III): July - September, 2020 ; pp 66-77
[12]. An empirical study on Self Management skills among campus- placed college students in Mumbai city,
IJEDR 2020, vol 8, issue 3,: 368-374.
[13]. Nandini Jagannarayan and Jayachitra T.A., (2020), An Empirical Study On Social Skills Among Single
Women Residing In Select Suburbs Of Mumbai City, International Journal of Advance and Innovative
Research Volume 7, Issue 3 (III): July - September, 2020 ; pp 75-81
[14]. Nandini Jagannarayan and Aishwarya Kannan (2020), A study on age as determinant of empathetic feeling
among single women employed in private sector banks in Chennai Metro IJEDR 2020, vol 8, issue 3,: 347-
356
[15]. Nandini Jagannarayan and Aishwarya Kannan (2020), An Empirical Study On The Factors Influencing
Working Women’s Preference For Online Shopping Of Dresses In Mumbai City, Advances in Management,
Social Sciences and Technology PP20-35
[16]. Nandini Jagannarayan, Jayachitra T.A. and Iona Hegde (2020), An Empirical Study on the Presence of
Empathetical Feelings in College Students, Higher Education in India: Vision 2025, Pp 63-71
[17]. Sundararaman, T. (2020). Health Systems Preparedness for COVID-19 Pandemic. Indian Journal of Public
Health 64 (6): 91. https://doi.org/10.4103/ijph.IJPH_507_20. Accessed 11 June 2020.
[18]. WIEGO. (2015). Myths & Facts about the Informal Economy and Workers in the Informal Economy.
https://www.wiego.org/sites/default/ les/resources/ les/WIEGO-Myths-Facts-Informal-Economy.pdf.
Accessed 12 May 2020.

Copyright to IJARCST DOI: 513.102020/IJARSCT 30

www.ijarsct.co.in