The Shiv Senas plans to promote a standardised Shiv Vada Pav across Mumbai have got a setback with the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) failing to find space for vendors handcarts. The civic administration has informed the ruling Sena that it can only accommodate vendors in municipal markets and allow sale in municipal building canteens. Officials told Sena leaders in a meeting on Tuesday that no space is possible near gardens,hospitals and schools. According to the Supreme Court order,it cannot even allow handcarts to roam on roads. The only option is municipal markets where we may release some space,and civic buildings where the Shiv Vada Pav can be sold in the canteen. No space is available on other municipal property and we cannot allow vendors on the roads as it is against the law, said a civic official handling the scheme. So far,nearly 4,500 aspirants have filled up forms for handcarts,but no contract has been finalised because of the space problem. The original proposal was for 125 stalls,each 8m×6m,so distributed that there would be one for every lakh residents of Mumbai. As per that plan,unemployed youths and women self-help groups would have been provided space at a nominal rent or on lease. Now,the civic administration said it can accommodate 64 stalls. Sena corporator Ravindra Waikar,pivotal behind the project,said the party would scout for land space and was working out details with the administration. We will finalise the locations soon, he said. The Sena hd announced the concept in May last year in an effort to woo the Marathi manoos. A competition was held among vada pav makers; the winning recipe was to be standardised.
