Mumbai is set to get an additional set of 8,258 hawking pitches, almost three months after the first set of 9,000 were approved by the Brihanamumbai Municipal Corporation’s (BMC’s) zonal Town Vending Committees (TVCs).
The second set of pitches is located in south Mumbai as well as the western suburbs of Andheri, Goregaon and Malad. The three remaining zones have identified pitches, but are yet to be ratified. The BMC is, however, nowhere close to solving the issue of issuing vendor licences.
The first set of hawking pitches included around 5,000 pitches in Zone V (Chembur, Govandi, Mankhurd) and around 4,000 in zone VII (Kandivali, Borivali and Dahisar). The decisions were taken by zonal TVCs first, followed by the chief TVC. The seven zonal committees have been vested with more powers since suggestions and objections are heard at its level. Once hawking pitches are approved at this stage, they require a final approval from the head committee. Zonal TVCs I and IV recently approved hawking pitches in their jurisdiction (see box). These new 8,258 pitches are yet to be ratified by the chief TVC. “Of the total seven zones, four have been finalised so far. The rest are expected in February,” said Vijay Balamwar, Deputy Municipal Commissioner (in charge of the Licence Department).
The BMC has reportedly found only about 16,226 hawkers eligible so far. While this number is bound to fluctuate, it is in stark contrast with the 99,000-odd hawkers who had applied for vendor certificates in 2014.
“The numbers went down because most hawkers could not produce the necessary documents such as a domicile certificate. We even extended the deadline by three months but more or less, this is the number,” said an officer from the Licence Department. In case of zone II (Dadar, Parel), the BMC has finalised a list of 2,078 eligible hawkers. The list is ready for submission to the zonal TVC for approval. Finalisation is in progress in other zones. Once the new policy comes into place, the licences issued so far by the BMC will cease to be valid. The new policy will have to accommodate the existing 11,251 hawkers, provided they fit the criteria laid down in the Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act, 2014.
The corporation is dealing with several issues in the allotment of vendor licences, owing to which the process has been delayed. “The existing vendors will not get pitches of the same size, and they are bound to protest. But if the size of pitches is increased, the number will go down as space is limited,” an officer said.
