Hawkers back on streets despite action

Even after the Mumbai Traffic Police (MTP) and  Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) carried out encroachment demolition drives on illegal parking and encroachments of hawkers on the footpaths of Crawford market, the menace has not ended as the hawkers have set up their stalls on the footpath again.

According to the traffic police,  they had recently met with BMC officials and after discussing issues related to encroachment and double parking, they had carried out a drive and had cleared the footpaths at Crawford market to ensure smooth flow of traffic.  

However in less than a week’s time, the hawkers were back on the footpaths.  “Recently we had removed the encroachments at Crawford market but hawkers are back to selling their wares on the street,” said Uday Kumar Shiroorkar, assistant commisionor of B Ward. Encroachment and double parking on footpaths has been thorn in the side of pedestrians who are forced to walk on the road causing heavy traffic congestion during peak hours. Speaking to DNA, Ashok Dudhe, Deputy Commissioner of Police (traffic city), said, “Our effrorts to remove encroachments from the footpaths are on and we are taking action against encroachers.”

“While the residents demand a permanent solution for the traffic menace, there is no strict action taken on encroachments. Even after demolishing it, the hawkers come back. This is not a solution, the BMC and traffic police should take strict action,” said Rehan Khan, a resident of the area.