BMC has no wheels to cart away hawkers………Ashutosh Shukla
Hawkers have reappeared on footpaths at several places on Hill Road and Linking Road, not because the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) lacks the drive, but because it does not have enough vehicles to drive them away.
After several complaints from residents and activists from the area, the H / West Ward (Bandra-Khar-Santa Cruz) said unauthorised hawkers could not be removed because of the lack of vehicles at their disposal.
Hawkers cause so much trouble to people. They are encroaching a good amount of space and the ward office tells us it does not have infrastructure to take action. This, after two years of the residents complaining.
This revelation by the BMC seems to have hit the residents nerve. They have a letter, dated June 3, from the three-member committee appointed by the Supreme Court, saying there should be no more than 86 hawkers on Hill Road and none on Linking Road. The letter also said action against hawkers should be taken within 10 days.
Said SS Jambotkar, assistant municipal commissioner (in charge), Action against hawkers had slowed down because there a problem with the tendering of the vehicles required during the eviction drive. We will soon have more vehicles and the drive will pick up pace. We have taken action, it may not have been to the residents satisfaction.
An officer in the licence department said the ward had taken action consistently from June 10 to 13, and that action against eateries was also taken, even during night.