₹3.12 crore proposal: BMC plans 27 vehicles to clear encroachments

MUMBAI: The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) plans to deploy a dedicated fleet of 27 vehicles to step up action against illegal hawkers and other obstructions on footpaths across the island city, as part of its ongoing Pedestrian First campaign

MUMBAI: The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) plans to deploy a dedicated fleet of 27 vehicles to step up action against illegal hawkers and other obstructions on footpaths across the island city, as part of its ongoing Pedestrian First campaign.

A proposal seeking approval to hire the vehicles for a year, at an estimated cost of ₹3.12 crore including 4% contingencies, is scheduled to come before the BMC Standing Committee on Wednesday.

According to the proposal, the fleet will provide 9,855 shifts over the contract period, with each vehicle deployed for a 12-hour shift each day. The vehicles will be used by the civic administration’s License Department for daily anti-encroachment operations across municipal wards, particularly on high-footfall roads and pedestrian routes.

Infra Transprojects emerged as the lowest bidder at ₹3,050 per shift, matching the BMC’s estimated rate. Two other agencies participated in the bidding process.

The civic administration said the dedicated fleet was needed to ensure the “rapid and uninterrupted” removal of unauthorised street vendors and other obstructions from footpaths. The move comes as the BMC intensifies enforcement under its Pedestrian First campaign, which seeks to reclaim footpaths for pedestrians and improve pedestrian movement across the city.

The proposal also notes that interim work costing up to ₹50 lakh is being undertaken under administrative urgency to ensure there is no gap in enforcement until the proposed arrangement is put in place.