Colaba Causeway gets its first ‘international’ hawking stall

Mumbai's Colaba Causeway sees a new pilot hawker stall as part of a beautification plan aimed at enhancing aesthetics and boosting tourism

Mumbai: Munawar Ali, 51, has been selling readymade garments on Mumbai’s iconic Colaba Causeway for 28 years. On Wednesday, he received a gift from the city – a new stall, made to international standards, that will enhance his business and protect him and his wares from Mumbai’s harsh and whimsical weather. “This modern stall has a roof for the monsoon. It is spacious enough for our goods, and it comes with wheels, making it easier for us to move it around,” he said.

Colaba Causeway gets its first ‘international’ hawking stall

Ali’s all-new, 5 x 3-ft stall is the pilot stall in a beautification plan that promises to transform one of Mumbai’s most popular, and historic, shopping streets. Spearheaded by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), the plan aims to improve the aesthetics of this atmospheric shopping destination by introducing uniform, standardised hawking stalls and signage, offering it a vibrant, fresh and uncluttered look.

Inaugurating the pilot stall on Wednesday, Maharashtra assembly speaker, Rahul Narwekar, said, “This new stall has been carefully designed by experts, keeping in mind the convenience of local hawkers. The objective is to standardise the stalls and shop boards along the causeway, giving it a distinct identity and boosting tourism. The project will also address traffic issues, which have long plagued both residents and visitors.”

The broader beautification plan includes not just new stalls, but also improvements to pavements and the installation of new light fixtures. Former municipal corporator (BJP), Makarand Narwekar, a key figure in this initiative, said, “We have given one stall to use so that they tell us what the difficulties are and whether it needs to be tweaked. Once we get the feedback in ten days, we will provide 187 more such stalls for licensed and surveyed vendors on Colaba Causeway. The District Collector has already allocated ₹2.5 crore for these new hawking stalls.”

Despite the promising start to the plan’s rollout on Wednesday, Makarand Narwekar expressed concern over delays in other aspects of the Colaba Causeway beautification project. “Although the BMC has sanctioned funds for other beautification works in the plan, such as footpath improvements, these haven’t taken off. Officials have not explained why the work hasn’t started yet.”

In a letter to municipal commissioner, Bhushan Gagrani, Makarand Narwekar highlighted the potential impact of these delays on Colaba residents and stressed the importance of restoring the Causeway’s historical charm in accordance with Indian Road Congress guidelines. He urged the BMC to address any operational challenges and to communicate their decisions in writing to ensure the project’s smooth progress. “The Colaba Causeway beautification initiative holds great promise for transforming one of Mumbai’s most beloved shopping streets, but challenges remain in ensuring that all aspects of the project come to fruition,” said Narwekar.

On an optimistic note, however, he added, “Soon, Colaba Causeway will sport a completely new look. It will take three months to complete this part of the beautification plan. If this pilot project here is successful, it will be replicated in other parts of the city,” said Makarand Narwekar.

Jaydeep More, acting assistant commissioner, ‘A’ Ward, told HT that the BMC would get District Planning Development Committee (DPDC) funds for these works and use them for the Colaba Causeway beautification project.