SPEAK UP: To walk or to hawk?

In May, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Council (BMC) initiated the process of setting up Town Vending Committees (TVCs) to conduct surveys to identify street vendors, issue certificates to eligible vendors, recommend areas to be declared non-hawking zones, and identify sites for hawking, and regulate timings.

However, this move came almost a year later, and only after strong observations from the Bombay High Court. At a time when a comprehensive hawkers' policy is yet to be implemented, the BMC is planning to increase fines from Rs 1,200 to Rs 5,000 to discourage street vendors from returning to the same spot again and again. Last month, the BMC's A ward issued notices to around 49 shop owners in South Mumbai's Fashion Street for violation of norms.

While the move is believed to make footpaths free of encroachments, the delay in setting up TVCs also raises questions on the functioning of the civic administration.

DNA spoke to Mumbaikars about whether they felt eviction of hawkers is the only solution as they encroach on pedestrian space on roads, or if better regulation is the key since they are an integral part of life in Mumbai providing quick and affordable options to consumers.

Increasing the fine for hawkers isn't justified. In fact, I do not think hawkers are a nuisance. Most of the time, they are a blessing in disguise. They are useful because we get every little thing at our doorstep, so on our way back home, we can easily pick up stuff from them. Instead of dissuading hawking, a proper policy should be made so that they remain but avoid causing inconvenience.
—Mayura Worlikar, resident of Worli

Footpaths in the city are very narrow and inaccessible due to encroachment. Since the majority of the hawkers' stalls are also on the pavement, it is a nuisance to pedestrians, who have to walk on the roads. The rehabilitation of hawkers should be done by the BMC as it is improper to take away their source of income. The civic body must come up with a solution beneficial to both pedestrians and hawkers.
—Smita Bhingarde, resident of Jogeshwari

The municipality must ensure they crack down on illegal hawkers specifically in areas of high density. This will reduce congestion on our streets. Alternatively, they must rehabilitate long time hawkers by providing them space in designated hawking zones. This will create a win-win situation for citizens and the hawkers affected.
—Abhishek Altekar, resident of Bandra

I buy from hawkers often as well as eat the food they sell. Many of the items are things I like but with respect to food, hygiene is always a concern. Where I work in Andheri, the presence of hawkers on the road creates a traffic jam. While I would say hawkers need to be moved, we also need to ensure that they are given proper space and rehabilitated.
—Chetan Gawai, IT professional, Andheri

The hawkers' issue is an eyesore for residents in our area. The resident association has complained to the civic authority many times but has failed to solve this problem permanently. It has been more than two and a half years now, residents keep complaining about the issue on a regular basis to no avail. Many times the anti-hawking vans visit the area and do take necessary action against hawkers but there is still no permanent solution in sight.
—Dhaval Shah, resident of Lokhandwala

EXPERT SPEAK

There are two aspects to the hawkers situation. The civic body needs to protect their livelihood but it should not come at the cost of others' right. While hawkers have the right to earn their livelihood, it is also the basic right of a person to have encroached-free footpaths and roads. The civic administration needs to provide a designated place to hawkers barring footpaths or roads. However, the It lacks determination to solve such issues. If it can carry out demolitions, what's stopping it from removing hawkers? Setting up of a committee is not a solution. This needs to be solved by strong willpower without the involvement of people with vested interest.
— James John, coordinator with AGNI

The Bombay High Court had already ordered the implementation of the hawkers' policy. In 2014, the BMC scrutinised 2.5 lakh hawkers, who the civic body was supposed to accommodate ward wise across the city. But now they have decided to form new committee. This shows that the BMC has no intention of implementing the hawkers' policy neither does it want to accommodate them in its municipal markets. Since tax is not payable on the wares they sell, they sell them at cheap rates, which attracts buyers. Since hawkers are not accommodated in municipal markets, they simply settle down on footpaths and roads.
—Aftab Siddhiqui, civic activist