Mumbai: The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and the railway police intensified action against illegal hawkers at railway stations on Monday, two days after workers of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) vandalised stalls and evicted hawkers.
The MNS has sought action against hawkers to widen walking space on railway bridges and avoid accidents like the stampede at Elphinstone Road railway station last month, which killed 23 people. The party had set a 15-day ‘deadline’ for the BMC to take action, failing which it had threatened to take matters into its own hands. The deadline lapsed on October 20.
Empty roads
Though the exact number of hawkers evicted was not available, roads near major stations like Dadar were entirely clear of hawkers on Monday afternoon, with police personnel keeping watch. Vans from the BMC’s anti-encroachment department were also seen stationed near various railway stations.
A flower seller wonders what to do with her wares after being evicted; (top) with unexpected free time on their hands, hawkers wait around hoping to resume work.
Later in the day, an MNS delegation led by Nitin Sardesai, Bala Nandgaonkar, Sandeep Deshpande and other senior leaders met Municipal Commissioner Ajoy Mehta, seeking action against hawkers.
Mr. Sardesai told The Hindu , “Our delegation met the Municipal Commissioner, Police Commissioner and the Director General of Police. This is because every time the municipal authorities don’t take action, they cite factors like lack of police force. We will also meet the general managers of Western and Central railways on Tuesday.”
Mr. Sardesai said their efforts had already borne fruit, saying that the railways and civic administration held a joint meeting on Monday. “Despite clear court guidelines and government circulars stating that hawkers should not be allowed near railway premises, hawking continues unabated. Though initially the civic authorities did act, they slackened during Diwali, thus allowing the hawkers to return,” he said.
‘Forced to act’
He said the MNS would continue its action against hawkers, despite its workers being arrested in Kalyan, Dombivli and Bandra. “It’s the administration’s job to remove hawkers. But because it is not doing its job, we are forced to act.”
Mr. Sardesai said the Municipal Commissioner has assured them that the BMC and the railway police would take joint action against hawkers.
