Mumbai's civic body is planning to allow street vendors to operate in a few more streets in Colaba. This has disappointed the local citizens' bodies, which on Friday protested against the BMC's plan at its 'A' ward office.
Mumbai's civic body is planning to allow street vendors to operate in a few more streets in Colaba. This has disappointed the local citizens' bodies, which on Friday protested against the BMC's plan at its 'A' ward office.
The updated list of hawking zones prepared by the BMC for the A ward, includes the stretch between the Radio Club and Bhid Bhanjan Mahadev Mandir on the Arthur Bunder Road, and the Shahid Bhagat Singh Marg.
"There are so many other commercial locations, like Ballard Estate, which could have been included in the hawking zones," said Subhash Motwani, founding member of Clean Heritage Colaba Residents' Association (CHCRA).
He added that with footpaths in the area being narrower than 3m, hawkers would give pedestrians a tough time.
Another resident said, "This will negatively impact tourism and will be a security threat to residents."
Ramesh Mansukhani of Colaba Merchants Association said, "We had requested the civic authorities to declare SBS Marg a non-hawking zone, since it has several schools, religious institutions, a mosque as well as heavy vehicular and pedestrian traffic. But the BMC has acted on its own whims and fancies."
The BMC has recently prepared a ward wise list of designated hawking zones, non hawking zones and restricted zones across the city in consultation with the city police and traffic police. The list will have to be approved by municipal commissioner Sitaram Kunte, town vending committee and the civic general body.
Defending the BMC's stand, the assistant commissioner of A ward, Chandrasekhar Chore, said people are free to offer their suggestions to BMC. He also said that in recent years the hawking laws had been amended to make the activity legal, and the BMC's move reflected this reality.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}