HC calls for proactive measures to solve unauthorised hawkers issue

Unauthorised hawkers and vendors on public roads and footpaths are a matter of great concern requiring proactive measures from the authorities, the Bombay high court said on Tuesday. “The problem is mammoth. Hence, there have to be some proactive measures,” said the division bench

MUMBAI: Unauthorised hawkers and vendors on public roads and footpaths are a matter of great concern requiring proactive measures from the authorities, the Bombay high court said on Tuesday.

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“The problem is mammoth. Hence, there have to be some proactive measures,” said the division bench of Justices M S Sonak and Kamal Khata. The judges said their concern was that nobody should suffer – neither the public and shop owners nor the hawkers with legal and valid licenses.

The court was hearing a suo motu proceeding regarding the issue of illegal and unauthorised hawkers and vendors taking over streets in various parts of the city.

Acting on earlier orders of the court, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and the state government on Tuesday filed their affidavits, listing the steps they have taken against unauthorised hawkers and vendors and what they propose to do to ensure the problem does not recur.

The BMC, in its affidavit, said daily checks are carried out in all wards to ensure no hawker puts up stalls without the requisite permissions. An area of 150 meters around suburban railway stations is kept hawker-free, it said, adding that hawking zones have been earmarked in certain places.

BMC’s counsel, Anil Singh, submitted that as per earlier directives from the court, 20 areas in the city were identified, and regular vigilance was kept to ensure hawkers do not set up their stalls without authorisation.

Senior counsel Gayatri Singh, appearing for the hawker’s union, told the court that hawkers and vendors who hold valid licences are also forcibly removed by the civic authorities.

To this, the court said, “We understand that you (hawkers holding legal licences) have your own set of difficulties. Whoever has permission should be given full protection. The ones who don’t have permission overwhelm everybody else.”

The bench then directed the union to file an affidavit and posted the matter for further hearing on Thursday.