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| Mumbai to have 8,000 more hawkers soon
If the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has its way, Mumbai will have 8,000 more hawkers on its roads soon. BMC is seriously considering converting 105 non-hawking zones into hawking zones. Not surprisingly, citizens groups are up in arms saying the BMC proposal is in complete violation of Bombay High Court orders as well as its own policies. The proposal has been spelled out in an affidavit filed before the Supreme Court, where various hawker unions have challenged a 2001 High Court order restricting hawking zones to 131 roads in the city. Hawkers want around 280 additional roads declared as hawking zones. Of these, the BMC has agreed to 105 roads adding 8,110 hawkers to the roads. Naina Katpalia of Citispace accuses the BMC of violating its own guidelines. All roads approved by the BMC had been debated upon in the HC and rejected for not meeting guidelines. What is the reason for the sudden turnaround? According to BMC guidelines, hawking zones are not allowed 50 metres around hospitals, educational institutions and religious places, 150 metres from municipal markets and 250 metres around railway stations and along major arterial roads. However, despite this unions believe the city needs more hawkers. According to the development plan Mumbai needs around 344 markets, whereas there are only 103. The existing markets are unable to cater to the needs of Mumbais 1.40 crore population, says the hawkers union in its affidavit. Not even .25 per cent of the roads in Mumbai are being used by hawkers. Sharad Rao, president of the Bombay Hawkers Union believes the two-lakh hawker population is an essential part of the economy. They constitute a large portion of the unorganised self-employed sector and sell around 35 per cent of the consumer goods in the country. If you throw them out it will affect the economy, Rao said. Vidya Vaidya, a resident of Bandra and member of a citizens group, is unconvinced. While vegetable sellers may be essential, most hawkers on Hill Road and Linking Road sell luxury goods. People can buy these at a shop as well. In Bandra, the BMC proposes to put 480 hawkers on Hill Road, 106 on Turner Road and another 140 on Bazaar Road. Bandra and Khar have such narrow roads. Even adding around 100 hawkers will lead to a major congestion, she said. Sharad Bansal, of Bhuleshwar Vyapari Sangh is equally indignant over the proposal to add 477 hawkers in the area. There is hardly any pavement on the roads here. Besides, numerous temples dot the area. Where are they going to put the hawkers? Residents in Chembur have embarked on a signature campaign to oppose the BMCs move to add 192 hawkers on four roads here. Resident Rajkumar Sharma said, The BMC guidelines explicitly forbid hawkers on arterial roads. Karun Srivastav, municipal commissioner, however, expressed ignorance of any such proposal. It hasnt been brought to my notice yet, he said. Additional Municipal Commissioner Vikramsinh Patankar was unavailable for comment. The Supreme Court is likely to hear the matter on October 28. Ward-wise list of 105 proposed hawking zones A Sadhu T L Waswani Marg (24), Pandey Road (30), Damodardas Sunhadwala Marg (15), Jeeven Bhima Marg (26), H T Parekh Marg (10), A K Nayak Marg (30), Mahatma Gandhi Marg (246), Vithaldas Thakersey Marg (129), Free Press Journal Marg (60) B Yusuf Meher Ali Road (40), Narayan Dhuru Street (50), Raghunath Maharaj Street (34) C Y M Road (16), Ist Agiary lane (9), IIIrd Agiary Lane (25), Bomanji Master Road (9), Mangaldas Marg (18), K M Sharma Marg (31), Atmaram Merchant Marg (98), Bhuleshwar Road (70), Sheikh Memon Street (84), C P Tank Road (26), Sant Sena Maharaj Marg (75), Bhaskar Lane (16) D Grant Road Station (247), Tata Road (37), Lamington Road (154), Charni Road (15), Bomanji Petit Road (40) F/ South Ambawadi Kala Chowki (120), G K Road (49) F/ North L N Road (100), Devdhar Road (20), Bhandarkar Road (86), Bhau Daji Road (64) G/ South Dr E Moses Road (64), N M Joshi Marg (131) H/ East Nehru Road (200), Kalina Kurla Road (100), Nehru Road Vakola (100) H/ West Shastri Nagar Link Road (50), Turner Road (106), Hill Road (480), Bazar Road (140), Chapel Road (25), Rebello Road (200), Gazdar Bandh Road (25), 32nd Road (50), 33rd Road (150), Khar Pali Road (50), Dr Ambedkar Road (109) K/ East Andheri Kurla Road (75), Gumpha Road (90), Subhash Road (15), Maharaj Bhavan Road (70), Marol Pipeline near Fish Market (90), Bagadkar Road (35), Sahar Road (65), Hanuman Road (30), Shraddhanand Road (30), Malvilya Road (15), Malpa Dongri (60), New Nagardas road (50), M C Chhagla Road (50), MIDC Road (50), Mangibai Road (82) K/ West Irla Society Road (36), Four Bungalows St Louis Road (105), Seven Bungalow L J P Road (115), Veera Desai Road (170), Juhu Road near Kailas Apartments (37), Under Andheri Flyover Bridge (405), Yari Road (50), Lokhandwala Bridge (50), Shamrao Palekar Marg (30), Lallubhai Shamaldas Road (24), Millat Nagar Road (50) P/ South Film City Road (310), Goregaon Mulund Link Road (80) P/ North Marve Road (100), R/ South Mathuradas Road (357), Subhash Lane (17), C O Road (13), Chatabai Patel Road (33), Dada Save Road (12), D P Road, Charkop sector II (24), Trikamdas Road (27), Narayan Das Joshi Road (84), Narayandas Joshi Cross Road (9), Mathuradas Extension Road (100), S V P Road (6), S V Road (30), Iranivadi Road (4), Lalji Pada Road (36), Akruli Road (260), Akruli Road, Damu Nagar (65), Bajaj Road (30) R/ Central S V P Road (25) L MIG LIG Road (250) M/ West Mahavir Dayanand Saraswati Marg (75), Tembi Bridge Sandhu Marg (30), N G Acharya Road (40), P L Lokhande Marg (47) N Kajupada Bhatwadi Road (40) Hawkers! Hawkers! Bombay Hawkers Union says there are over two lakh hawkers in Mumbai Legal battle 1985: SC frames guidelines for hawking. Where it is banned 50 metres around hospitals, educational institutions and religious places |