Hawkers’ scheme on hold

The civic corporation is not sure about who should set up the agency which will implement the scheme and who will monitor the non-hawking zones and prevent hawkers from encroaching these areas. Though it has its own vigilance department, the BMC feels with meagre staff it is not equipped for the job. After burning its fingers over a lot of similar schemes and lack of follow-up action, the corporation does not want to take chances on this aspect thistime.

After the draft scheme was ready the BMC wrote to the police department seeking about 50 police personnel to stand guard at non-hawking zones especially near each railway station. However, the police refused claiming shortage of staff but agreed to provide a security if the corporation paid for it. With a huge deficit staring in its face, the BMC refused to part with Rs 2 to 3 crore on the police force every year.

With its hands tied over the issue, the civic corporation is even toying with the idea of charging the hawkers a small fee and fund the policing from this collection.

A senior civic officer informed that the BMC is targetting the railway stations as surveys has revealed that about 45 per cent of the hawkers carry out their business in and around the railway stations. “If this is stopped, hawking will not remain a lucrative business and we will be able to arrest new hawkers,” he said.

In August last year, the BMC had lauched a drive to remove hawkers within 200 metres of the railwaystations. Though it took off very well, it lost steam due to opposition from hawkers and non-cooperation from the police.

There are a little over one lakh hawkers in Mumbai according to official statistics while the hawker unions’ claim they number well over four lakh.

In the new scheme, the hawkers will be allowed to hawk in areas apart from non-hawking zones but they will not be able to make any permanent structures. They will have to come with their wares, carry their business and leave at the end of the day.