Twitter
Advertisement

Mumbai: Available civic plots to be developed as hawking zones

At present, the civic body is only taking suggestions from hawkers.

Latest News
article-main
FacebookTwitterWhatsappLinkedin

In order to solve hawkers issues in the city,  the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is planning to accept demands from hawkers to allow them to do their business at civic plots available in each ward. However, at present, the civic body is only taking suggestions from hawkers.

A senior official from the Removal of Encroachment (RE)) department said that they have received several suggestions including civic plots to be used for hawking from hawkers' association and they will think over while finalising hawking zones. 

According to official from RE department,  hawkers associations put up several aspects of their issues including the demand of open plot and fresh survey of hawkers. “Hawkers association sought to allow to continue business on the humanitarian ground at the same place. However, this cannot be allowed as we have to follow the Bombay High Court order, " added the official. 
The official said that every ward may not have enough open plots available." We have to check the availability of civic plots in each ward as we cannot ask to carry out their business at any plots available in the ward," added the official. 

Meanwhile, the BMC will soon start issuing identity cards to around 99,435 city-based hawkers who were surveyed in 2014. According to BMC officials, they wanted to include members from the hawker's associations in town vending committee (TVC). However, the person has to be elected by the hawkers themselves, said a civic official. 
"Hawkers issue can be solved in a proper manner and we need to check illegal hawkers," said the official. 
In 2014, the Central government enacted the Street Vendors (Protection Of Livelihood And Regulation Of Street Vending) Act. As per the Act, the local body should form a TVC which will conduct surveys to identify street vendors, issue certificates to the eligible ones, recommend areas to be declared non-hawking zones, identify sites and spaces for hawking, and regulate timings, among other tasks.

However, till the election process is not completed, one member from every association will be included in TVC. Currently, there are 12 hawkers' association. The BMC can accommodate maximum eight members from hawkers association in the TVC as per the law.  However, the civic cleared that issuing the identity cards will not give them a certificate to set up their shops within 150 metres of the railway station and no-hawking zones. "We will not tolerate anyone to set up their shop near the railway station and footpath having one merte width," the official added.

Find your daily dose of news & explainers in your WhatsApp. Stay updated, Stay informed-  Follow DNA on WhatsApp.
Advertisement

Live tv

Advertisement
Advertisement