Hawkers Policy 

1998: Supreme Court directed authorities to frame a comprehensive scheme for hawkers and all encroachments in Bombay. Committe formed but defunct?
MARCH 2001:The Bombay High Court had directed the BMC to stop collecting fees through daily “pavtis” which enabled them to carry on their business. Vested interests benefitted. Corrupt policemen and civic staff began collecting “hafta”. The BMC sought the courts to re-collect the fines as “We have reached a point where more than evicting the hawkers, we want to regulate and discipline them,” a senior official said.
Times of India Civic Correspondent, “BMC will seek HC approval to collect fees from hawkers”, The Times of India, Mumbai, 13 March 2001. [C.J31.130301TOI].

MAY 2001: Union Urban Development Ministry sets up task force to frame policy guidelines on street hawking…
MAY 2001: HIGH Court allows BMC to increase number of hawkers ( 30,000, 15000 of whom have existing licenses) in hawking zones; 1564 PCOs as Public Utility, 88, Aarey Sarita stalls, 140 andicapped stalls, 10 Jai jawan stalls etc.HC declines laxity in no hawking near railway stations onthe ground that they were there for many years, hawking within 50 metres of municipal market.
Express News Service,”Hawking zone modifications approved”, Indian Express, Mumbai, 04 May 2001. [C.J31.040501IE].

SEPT 2001: The BMC’s plan envisages forming non-hawking zones per ward after considering the intensity of vehicular and pedestrian traffic on the area’s streets, and also the location of railway stations and hospitals. Residents’ associations are u in arms against the BMC plan, which, they say. Will result in hawking zones being created in residential areas which dont have much traffic.
Mehta, Rajshri, “Non-Hawking Zones May Decrease in New Scheme”, Indian Express, Mumbai, 24 September 2001. [C.J31.240901IE].

SEPT. 2001: Task force decides to accept Prime Minister’s suggestion that Legitimate occupations like street hawking should be recognised and the scope for rent seeking and harassment by enforcement officers must be eliminated. In a concept note to the Task force, the PMO said that hawking is a fundamental right, that hawkers are service providers to the low-cost economy groups and also that hawking helps reduce eye-teasing and vehicular pollution (by reducing transportation requirements).
Khomne, Ranjit, “PM Seeks Speedy Redressal of Hawkers’ Problems”, The Times of India, Mumbai, 20 September 2001. [C.J31.200901TOI].

DEC 2001: The Centre has asked the State Governments to desist from taking any punitive action against hawkers, pavement vendors and rickshaw-pullers pending finalisation of a national policy to regulate their activities. ( This directive is following a recommendation from a task force on street vendors).
Hindu Special Correspondent,”Centre’s directive to States on hawkers”, The Hindu, Madras, 01 December 2001. [C.J31.011201H].

SEPT 2002: The second National Commission on Labour has suggested giving legal status and licences to Hawkers.. Hawkers are among the most visible category of workers in the informal sector. Most come from impoverished rural families. Street vending absorbs millions who come to cities as economic refugees from villages and enter the occupation with small amounts of capital. They not only create employment for themselves but also generate up-stream employment in agriculture and small-scale industry.
Times News Network, “Give licences to hawkers, suggests labour panel”, The Times of India, Mumbai, 21 September 2002. [C.J31.210902TOI].

OCT 2002: A Central Task force has suggested a policy aimed at providing support system to enable street vendors to earn a living as well as maintain the cityscape.” The policy treads the fine line between safeguarding the rights of hawkers on the one hand and protecting public spaces and ensuring smooth traffic movement on