To keep the sidewalks and major roads in Mumbai free of encroachment, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has identified 20 hotspots and launched a special drive against unauthorised hawkers there. The drive will focus on daily removal operations, joint enforcement with the help of police and use of technology.
According to the BMC, 20 hotspots have been selected where there is high pedestrian traffic, a large number of unauthorized hawkers and a low presence of licensed vendors. These include CSMT area in South Mumbai, Churchgate, High Court area, as well as major station areas in suburbs like Dadar, Bandra, Andheri, Malad, Chembur, Mulund.
Under this drive, action will be taken in two shifts - from 8 am to 4 pm and from 3 pm to 11 pm. Regular removal operations will be carried out by joint teams of the Municipal Corporation and Mumbai Police, while a QR code system will be implemented to keep an eye on licensed hawkers.
According to officials, all licensed hawkers will be given QR codes by the end of April. After that, it will be easy to identify them and misuse of the license can be prevented. Currently, there are about 12,567 licensed hawkers in the city, of which about 10,500 are in the process of giving QR codes.
Mayor Ritu Tawde said that clear hawking and non-hawking zones will be determined in the city. Notice boards will be put up in these zones, and specific places will also be made available for licensed hawkers.
Meanwhile, as per the recommendations of the Town Vending Committee, there is a plan to provide official places to about 22 thousand applicant hawkers in the next one year.
Although this new policy of the Municipal Corporation is trying to keep the footpaths free on one hand, on the other hand, the issue of rehabilitation of hawkers will also be equally important.