It is believed that the civic body's step will make worship places free from illegal hawkers in the future.
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) will allow restricted hawking near religious places, educational institutions and hospitals. It has already put up details of religious places on its website, which will be free from hawking pitches.
It is believed that the civic body's step will make worship places free from illegal hawkers in the future. The civic body said that it plans to allow only authorised sellers to sell religious paraphernalia to devotees.
A senior official from Removal of Encroachment Department of BMC said: "We have received a number of suggestions from residents that their children will face difficulty in their studies if hawking is allowed near educational institutions." He also added that there was no point in making religious places so crowded, and selling items that are not used for worship.
The official added that they have sought objections and suggestions from residents on hawking pitches across the city, including near religious places, which will be sent to zonal TVC once formed. "We will look at each and every objection and suggestion before reaching any decision," said the official.
The civic administration has identified around two dozen well-known religious places where hawking will not be allowed. However, items that are used for worship like agarbatti, dhoopbatti, candle, prasad, chadar, among others, will be permitted to be sold. Some of the religious places are Mumba Devi, Haji Ali, Mount Mary, Iskcon temple, Afghan Church, among others.
According to an official from the RE department, there is no harm if a stationery shop comes up near an educational institution. "Final decision can be taken based on residents' views," said the official from RE department, adding that they will also have to take into consideration the High Court's directive of maintaining the mandatory 150-metre distance from railway stations, hospitals, educational institutions and religious places. The BMC has put 85,891 hawking pitches across 1,366 roads of the city.
ONLY PRAYER
- BMC’s step is likely to make worship places free from illegal hawkers
- It has identified around two dozen religious places where hawking won’t be allowed
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