Hawkers Plaza to be BMC's offices soon

The civic authorities are contemplating renovating and taking over the top floor of Hawkers Plaza at Dadar, considering the poor response it has received from the people it was meant for.

The intent raises questions about the utility of this much-hyped building which was constructed 18 years ago to rid precious little space within and without Dadar station of unauthorised hawkers.

In past years, BMC has shifted some of its departments here, said a civic official requesting anonymity. Now it is planning to renovate the fifth floor, spread over 9,480 square feet, at a cost of about Rs 5.26 crore.

The BMC raised the five-storey structure to solve the problem of overcrowding that vendors only aggravate.

But hawkers refused to move into it as they believe it is out of the way for their customers — commuters who are always in a rush. Till date, they continue to conduct business right out of the streets.

The Plaza, raised at a cost of Rs 30 crore, stands near Plaza Cinema in the West. Located at a prime spot by any measure, its present market value is more than Rs 200 crore. And its only inhabitants are garment merchants and vegetable wholesalers, who have moved to the ground and first floors of the building. The remaining three floors remain unoccupied.

PRIME PLOT

• Civic body built 5-floor Hawkers Plaza in 2001 
   
• But only the ground and first floors are occupied by vendors 
   
• BMC’s renovating the top floor to move some of its departments there