BMC finalises zones for hawkers

MUMBAI, JUNE 6: After targeting hawkers doing business near railway stations, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation plans speedy action to ...

MUMBAI, JUNE 6: After targeting hawkers doing business near railway stations, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation plans speedy action to segregate hawkers into special zones, even as hawkers unions have declared an agitation to protest what they term “unfair” attitude of the city Mayor-in-Council.

The administration today finalised the list of hawking and non-hawking zones and will implement it in the coming week, informed deputy mayor Gopal Shetty. He added that the matter will be discussed in the Mayor-in-Council meeting scheduled on Monday and the action will start immediately. Shetty explained that unlike the drive against hawkers at the nine railway stations which is being implemented in phases, the hawking zones drive will be implemented in all the 23 wards simultaneously.

There will be 523 hawking and 646 non-hawking zones. But the actual number of hawkers that can be rehabilitated in the hawking zones has not been compiled as yet. However, as the number of hawkers in the city is very large,many will bear the brunt of the drive. According to a report prepared on the implementation of the zones, licensed hawkers will be rehabilitated first followed by hawkers who pay regular fee and then the unlicensed hawkers. In case of lack of space unlicensed hawkers will have to face police eviction, says the report. With today’s report, trouble is anticipated on a large scale as unions have denounced the concept of hawking zones. Uniting under one banner, hawkers unions with over 3 lakh members will march to Raj Bhavan on Monday to protest against Mayor Nandu Satam’s decision to speedily implement hawking zones.

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At a press-meet today Bombay Hawkers Union president Suresh Kapile said that Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s Mayor-in-Council was trampling upon the democratic right of hawkers.“The Mayor will be responsible if our unrest turns violent.”

Due to the Bombay High Court ban on protestors congregating from Azad Maidan, the hawkers unions will take out morchas from different parts of the cityand suburbs. Hind Mazdoor Kisan Panchayat (HMKP) along with 35 affiliated unions has also pitched in the joint-agitation.

HMKP Shankar Salvi denounced the decision to thrust hawking zones upon hawkers as “arbitrary” and categorically announced that hawkers would not take things lying down.

“They have ignored our opinion. The State Government should take the initiative and solve the problem. The Mayor-in-Council is inconsiderately attempting to destroy hawkers the way their Calcutta counterparts did,” said Salvi, pointing out that if the matter was not immediately solved soon auto, taxi and rickshaw unions would join the stir.

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Kapile questioned the intentions of the Government to retain zunka bhakar centres within 250 metres of railway stations while pouncing on hawkers who were devoid of any such facilities.

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