TMC Seizes Rs 2 Lakh in Goods Stored in Restrooms at Thane SATIS Bridge
Civic authorities have cracked down on unauthorised street vendors who were caught illegally using municipal restrooms as storage units on the Station Area Traffic Improvement Scheme (SATIS) bridge outside Thane Railway Station, seizing merchandise valued at approximately Rs 2 lakh.
The misuse came to light after BJP leader and former corporator Sanjay Waghule submitted an official complaint to Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) Assistant Commissioner Mahesh Jamdar. Officials discovered that hawkers had procured duplicate keys to gain access to restrooms reserved for women and Thane Municipal Transport (TMT) staff, using the spaces overnight to stash their inventory and evade anti-encroachment drives.
The incident has sparked outrage among daily commuters and nearby business owners. Commuters raised strong safety concerns over unauthorised individuals possessing duplicate keys to women's facilities, while also complaining about chronic pedestrian congestion caused by hawkers blocking movement across the station area during peak travel hours.
Local tax-paying shopkeepers also expressed frustration over the situation, noting that unauthorised hawkers block their storefronts and unfairly compete by hijacking public infrastructure for free storage while legitimate businesses pay high rents, taxes, and licensing fees.
Waghule criticised the administration for failing to strictly enforce High Court directives that prohibit hawking within a 150-metre radius of railway stations, pointing out that a similar incident occurred three years ago on Platform No. 2.
Confirming the enforcement action, TMC Assistant Commissioner Mahesh Jamdar said the civic body moved swiftly to confiscate all the illegally stored goods. The administration has since replaced the locks on the facilities, stationed round-the-clock security guards at the site, and launched an inquiry to identify how duplicate keys were obtained. Jamdar added that strict legal action will be taken against those responsible.
