Mumbai is all set to get a taste of nightlife. With civic elections round the corner, the BJP-led Maharashtra government is set to roll out its plan to promote “night-out” culture in Mumbai. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has finalised a new scheme for hawking activity, which proposes setting up of night food courts and festival street plazas where licenced street vendors would be allowed to sell their wares. There is also a proposal to set up dedicated weekly bazaars. Watch what else is making news: While the scheme will be applicable to all major cities in the state, sources confirmed Mumbai would be impacted the most. Hawking activity is most vibrant in the state capital. The model code of conduct for elections to the Mumbai municipality, due next month, is expected to kick in the next few days. While the Shiv Sena’s heir apparent Aditya Thackeray was the first to pitch the concept of promoting the city’s nightlife, top sources said the BJP wanted to appropriate the credit. Ironically, the BJP has opposed Thackeray’s plan to allow rooftop restaurants and 24x7 eating joints to promote nightlife. While the Fadnavis-led urban development department has finalised the new scheme, the CM is expected to place it before his cabinet for a nod. The BJP is also hoping to woo the all-important hawking community in Mumbai, which makes up for a sizeable percentage of the North Indian vote, with the help of the new scheme. It has proposed to retain all traditional and existing markets as compulsory vending zones. While the UPA government had approved a legislation to regulate street vending ahead of the general elections in 2014, it was the BJP government in the state that finalised the rules for its implementation. Now, with elections bells ringing, it has decided to finalise the schemes as mandated by the Centre’s legislation. With the Centre capping the number of licences to be issued in a municipal ward to 2.5 per cent of its population, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has surveyed about 99,000 vendors who will be issued vending certificates. The BJP, however, has a plan for those vendors too who could not be accommodated. The sources said mobile vending would be permitted inside parking lots or on the edge of a street or a footpath. To regulate this activity, the government has proposed to collect parking charges from such vendors. For other eligible vendors who cannot be allotted individual pitches, the state has proposed allotment of shared pitches on time-sharing basis. Playing the sons-of-the-soil card, Fadnavis has also proposed allotment of temporary licences to farmers to sell agriculture produce in Mumbai and other cities. Some residents’ groups have been opposing a plan to demarcate private land for the “hawking of daily need items such as grocery, vegetables and laundry, among other goods”. The Cabinet is expected to take a final call on this. Last June, a committee headed by former Mumbai municipal commissioner Sitaram Kunte had submitted recommendations to the government in this regard. To regulate hawking activity, photo identity cards and vending certificates will be issued to all categories of hawkers. These certificates will have to be displayed across stalls at all times. It is also proposed to issue the hawkers a unique identification card. On the basis of the Centre’s directive, town vending committees comprising hawkers’ representatives are proposed to be set up in each municipal ward. These committees would be responsible for surveying roads, existing vendors, and demarcation of free or restricted vending territories, said sources. The committees will also have to review hawking activity in their wards once every three months. A social audit will be conducted once in three years. Based on the proximity to prime areas and the nature of goods sold, the state has proposal a variable vending fee regime. The new scheme also lists out specific duties and responsibilities for registered hawkers, whose violation might amount to temporary or permanent suspension of the vending licence. The hawker will have the right to appeal against such an order before a grievance redressal committee and an appellate authority. It is also proposed to take up skill training and arrange monetary assistance for licenced hawkers.
