Unions protest against BMC’s list of 32K legit hawkers, demand re-survey

Seven hawkers’ unions, including Maharashtra Ekta Hawkers’ Union, Mumbai Hawkers’ Union, Azad Hawkers’ Union, Jai Hindustan Hawkers’ Union and four others, have submitted a written representation for a re-survey, failing which it will be termed a mock exercise, benefitting neither the city nor hawkers

Mumbai: Hawkers’ unions on Wednesday protested at Azad Maidan, demanding scrapping of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s (BMC) decision of approving a list of 32,000 street vendors, who can carry out their trade.

Unions protest against BMC’s list of 32K legit hawkers, demand re-survey

Seven hawkers’ unions, including Maharashtra Ekta Hawkers’ Union, Mumbai Hawkers’ Union, Azad Hawkers’ Union, Jai Hindustan Hawkers’ Union and four others, have submitted a written representation for a re-survey, failing which it will be termed a mock exercise, benefitting neither the city nor hawkers.

A protest letter to revoke the decision of the BMC’s town vending committee (TVC) was sent to chief minister Eknath Shinde and civic chief Iqbal Singh Chahal.

Shashank Rao, president, Mumbai Hawkers’ Union, encapsulated the street vendors’ voice – that the survey be done according to The Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act, 2014 in which BMC had received more than one lakh applications.

“This is unfair as there are over 2.5 lakh hawkers in the city and the Act says 2.5% of the population can be accommodated. Mumbai’s population is 1.4crore,” said Rao. “Over 80% have been ignored. What will happen to their livelihood?”

Representatives of the seven organisations of hawkers present in the TVC meeting had opposed this decision. TVC, which has the authority to implement the hawker’s policy, is headed by Chahal and comprises representatives from various departments of BMC, MMRDA, traffic, police, members of the hawker association and civil society.

“If the decision is implemented, it will cause injustice to over 2.5 lakh street vendors and their families, and their livelihood will be threatened. We are demanding the government to ensure that the business of the hard-working people within the limits of the BMC should be safe and their demand should be fulfilled,” Rao said.