Mumbai: It’s business as usual for Dadar, Bandra hawkers

July 28: The hawker-free stretch last month

Clear roads to Dadar railway station, a blessing to the pedestrians, lasted less than a month, as hawkers return. Commuters are once again struggling to navigate the streets, with vehicles zooming past the crunched space, as hawkers occupy roads as well as footpaths. In Bandra, unlicensed vendors sneak into the alleys to hide from BMC officials, deployed to keep watch. They return to their usual spots on Hill Road as soon as the civic babus leave.

The civic body cleared the roads on the west side of the railway station in Dadar on July 28. The flyover, roads as well as footpaths became a paradise for the pedestrians. However, as soon as BMC vehicles stopped visits to the area, hawkers started returning, and the festive season has meant very little space to walk in the evenings.

Also read: Mumbai: Locals breathe free as Bandra roads are cleared of hawkers

August 22: Hawkers return to streets outside Dadar station, on Monday. Pic/Sayyed Sameer Abedi

"Even in the past, the BMC officials used to do such shows [of removing hawkers]. But it wasn't successful then and won't be now unless they find a permanent solution to this problem," said Paresh Kochrekar, a commuter.

In Bandra, it's wait & return

mid-day photojournalist Shadab Khan visited Hill Road in Bandra West around 5 pm and found hawker-less streets, as civic babus in official vehicles, accompanied by police, stood guard.

Hill Road was free of hawkers on August 7. Pic/Atul Kamble

The BMC officials as well as the police left the site for the day around 7.45 pm, and soon the unlicensed hawkers trickled onto Hill Road, spreading their wares, for which there were plenty of buyers, too.

Solution: Hawkers' plaza

Kochrekar said that a permanent hawkers' plaza is the solution. Until the plaza is ready, the BMC should provide the hawkers with an open space or less crowded roads, as well as install cameras around the station to end this menace.

Hawkers with their wares on Hill Road, Bandra, on Tuesday night. Pic/Shadab Khan

Prashant Sapkale, assistant commissioner of G North ward, did not answer mid-day's calls and messages.

"The streets won't be free until the BMC gives a specific space to licensed hawkers, and takes stringent action against illegal ones. Actions of clearing roads and station areas are just an eyewash," said Dayashankar Singh, founder of Azad Hawkers Union, who had written to the civic chief on August 8 seeking implementation of the hawkers' policy.

Additional Municipal Commissioner Ashish Sharma didn't comment on the issue.