Civic,police chiefs ‘surprise’ hawkers in Tulshibaug

This so-called surprise visit of both the commissioners was in line with the high court order that compelled them to pay this visit to Tulsibaug to keep a check on illegal hawkers.

Madhukar Kale and Sanjeev Phadtare,of Tulshibaug,had filed a public interest litigation (PIL) in the high court a few years back,against the encroachment of hawkers in tulshibaug shopping area. On August 24,2007 the court ordered the PMC to clear up all the encroachments. Accordingly,the PMC had removed the encroachments and a select few vendors had been given licenses to operate there.

Elaborating on the visit,Ramesh Shelar,chief of the anti-encroachment department said,”This sudden visit had been planned as per the high court orders,which had come on the basis of a writ petition. However,during the visit we hardly found any illegal hawkers or unauthorized vendors,as all the 279 hawkers had already been given licenses by the civic body.”

“Therefore,the person,who has filed a petition against PMC,does not have proper intentions,and he is trying to do so for his own advantage,” Shelar said.