Mayors plea to drive out hawkers falls on deaf ears
Sukhada Tatke | TNN
Mumbai: The hawkers menace has not even spared mayor Shubha Rauls constituency despite repeated pleas by the mayor herself and other residents.
Even though residents of Y R Tawde Road and Padmakar Jawle Roadright outside Dahisar East railway stationhave raised their voices against the menace, the area continues to remain congested. Interestingly, the area was declared a No Hawkers Zone about four years ago following an apex court directive.
In December 2003, the Supreme Court had passed an order stating that illegal hawkers would be prohibited from selling their wares within 150 metres from any railway station. But outside Dahisar station, the bustle of the market begins around 6 am and goes on to about 10 am and then begins in the afternoon again until evening. It is impossible to walk in the area. The small road gets blocked. By the end of the day, the stench of the garbage is unbearable, said a resident.
In September this year, Raul had written to municipal commissioner Jairaj Phatak asking him to take action. But with no action being taken even after the mayors letter, residents have begun to feel that there are vested interests involved. Hotelier Uday Kumar Shetty, who has repeatedly been filing complaints, said, The BMC vans are always patrolling here. Police vans are there as well. If this is a no hawkers zone, how can it be ignored in this manner?
Deputy municipal commissioner (Hawkers Regulation) Shantaram Kudalkar, when contacted, said he would take action soon. We will take heed of the situation next week according to the guidelines given by the Supreme Court. Even the ones who are unauthorised will be given pitches, provided there is place after the authorised ones get theirs. Distribution will take place through common draws. We will surely take action, he said.
Hawkers in the area said they would be denied their only source of livelihood if such action was taken. Mahendra Singh, president of the Janvadi Hawkers Union, said, Hawkers provide service to society. They become a nuisance only when not regularised properly. He also added that the Maharashtra government had filed an affidavit in the apex court asking permission to implement the national policy on urban vendors and the Supreme Court gave a go-ahead. The policy says that 2-2.5% of the citys population can be hawkers. That means, at least 3.75 lakhs in Mumbai. But the municipality, the police, are not ready to meet us and listen to our proposal, he added.
sukhada.tatke@timesgroup.com
WRONG SIDE OF THE LAW: Despite a 2003 SC directive prohibiting hawkers from selling their wares within 150 metres from any railway station, vendors continue to flout the rules with impunity
Publication:Times of India Mumbai; Date:Nov 5, 2007; Section:Times City; Page Number:4