Licensed Hawkers Cannot Block Pedestrians on Footpaths, Says BMC Chief Ashwini Bhide
Licensed hawkers may conduct business on footpaths provided they do not obstruct pedestrian movement, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) Commissioner Ashwini Bhide said during an inspection across south Mumbai.
Bhide and a team of civic officials conducted a review lasting more than three hours in various parts of south Mumbai to assess the implementation of the civic body’s ongoing ‘Pedestrian First’ campaign.
During the inspection, Bhide reviewed hawking licences and asserted that licensed vendors must strictly operate within the space designated on their permits. She instructed the licensing department to take strict action against any vendors who encroach beyond their allocated areas.
The clarification came after corporators across party lines criticised the municipal corporation for targeting licensed hawkers possessing identity cards with QR codes during the ongoing anti-encroachment drive.
Civic officials denied that the commissioner's directives were issued in response to the political uproar from corporators. An official stated that enforcement measures have targeted unauthorised hawkers and individuals encroaching on additional space from the start of the drive.
Citizens' representatives have urged the civic body to sustain the enforcement effort. Dhaval Shah, a member of the Lokhandwala Oshiwara Citizens Forum, expressed hope that the anti-encroachment drive would not be scaled down or halted due to external pressure, noting that the campaign creates a deterrent effect among unauthorised hawkers and helps address the issue on city streets.
