No-hawker fight gains momentum in Vile Parle….Geeta Desai
Over 200 youngsters and several senior citizens joined the protest by Bajaj Road residents on Sunday ….Geeta Desai
Over 200 youngsters and several senior citizens joined the protest by Bajaj Road residents on Sunday ….Geeta Desai
Taking their cue from the ongoing fight by residents of Bajaj Road against illegal hawkers,people in other areas of Vile Parle have started joining hands to put the menace to an end.On Sunday,over 200 youngsters and several senior citizens formed a team for the cause.The whole of Vile Parle is officially a no hawking zone.
To start with,residents from neighbouring lanes like Bhagat Singh Road,Bapubhai Vashi Road,Dadabhai Cross Road,and even distant areas including Irla Road Residents Association ALM (IRRA) came to Bajaj Road.They stood near a paav bhaji stall holding placards exhorting people to not patronise roadside eateries.After an hour when no customer came to the stall,its owners packed up and left.
We will not allow illegal hawkers to do their business here, said Ajay Seth,a resident of Kailasdeep Society on Bajaj Road.
We wanted to know what they are doing so that we can replicate the same initiative in our lane, said a resident from Dadabhai Crossroad who chose to join the protesters
instead of going for his evening walk.
Sandeep Mehta,from Irla Road Residents Association ALM,who along with other members of his area supported Bajaj Road Residents,said they too had civic problems and they know what it meant by additional support.Our issues are far worst than Bajaj Road,but we went to support them to get an idea towards tackling the problems, Mehta.
INTIMIDATION DOESNT WORK
While hawkers had begun threatening Bajaj Road residents after they started the no-hawker campaign,with support pouring in from all parts of the suburb,the intimidation factor is no longer a roadblock.The voice is getting louder with every passing day and residents are putting pressure on police and BMC to act against the people issuing threats to protesters.
BMC VANS DEPLOYED
Not just the hawkers,the movement seems to have put pressure on the BMC.While no punitive measures have been taken so far,civic officials have put at least two vans round the clock to keep hawkers at bay.
Residents are now planning to rope in more youngsters to take this fight forward.
Youths should participate in this movement.They are approachable and full of enthusiasm.If they channelise their energy into the right cause,they can do wonders, said Karan Shah,a resident of Bajaj Road.
* Protesters from various parts came to Bajaj Road to protest against illegal hawkers