HC raps BMC for failing to tackle illegal hawkers

The division bench of justices MS Sonak and Kamal Khata inquired if the civic and the police authorities would allow hawkers to put up stalls outside Mantralaya

MUMBAI: The Bombay high court on Monday came down heavily on the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) for failing to act against illegal hawkers and finding a permanent solution to the recurrent problem.

In its earlier order, the HC had noted that hawkers and street vendors have virtually taken over streets and bylanes in the city, leaving no place for people to walk on footpaths and forcing pedestrians to navigate between unauthorised hawkers and haphazardly parked vehicles. (Bloomberg)

The division bench of justices MS Sonak and Kamal Khata inquired if the civic and the police authorities would allow hawkers to put up stalls outside Mantralaya – the state’s administrative headquarters, or the governor’s bungalow. The judges said if the issue of illegal hawkers and vendors was a recurring problem, a permanent solution was required, and the authorities could not claim to be helpless. They also said that the civic body and police do not take any action on citizen’s complaints against illegal and unauthorised hawkers and vendors.

“This is sheer harassment of people. This is complete lawlessness,” the judges said. They asked what the common man should do, given that neither the municipal corporation nor the police look into their complaints.

“Brazenly, these unauthorised hawkers come. Let this happen in front of the Mantralaya or the governor’s house, then see how all this stops,” the judges said.

The comments were made during the hearing on a suo motu public interest litigation taken up by the court last year regarding illegal and unauthorised hawkers and vendors in the city. Acting on the PIL, last month, the court directed BMC and the police to file a detailed affidavit mentioning steps taken to curb the problem.

On Monday, however, both the BMC counsel and the government lawyer sought more time to file their respective affidavits, which irked the judges. They said it was a serious matter and asked the civic body and the police to file their affidavits within a week. The next hearing is scheduled on July 30.

In its earlier order, the court had noted that hawkers and street vendors have virtually taken over streets and bylanes in the city, leaving no place for people to walk on footpaths and forcing pedestrians to navigate between unauthorised hawkers and haphazardly parked vehicles.