On Tuesday, March 25, 2025, the High Court asked the Colaba Causeway Tourism Hawkers Stall Union whether they would remove the more than 173 unauthorized street vendors themselves, or if they should issue orders to have them removed.
After the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) informed that only 83 of the 253 members of the union were licensees, a bench of Justice Ajay Gadkari and Justice Kamal Khata asked the union the above question. The court had initially ordered the immediate removal of the unlicensed vendors. However, after a request from the lawyers, the court gave the organisation until March 31 to comply with the order.
The court also ordered the hawkers' association to inform whether it will remove the unlicensed hawkers itself within this period or follow the court orders. The court also directed that if the association does not remove the unlicensed hawkers itself, the order to remove them will be implemented, the court said.
Order to settle the dispute
The organisation had approached the High Court seeking the implementation of the Hawkers (Protection of Livelihoods and Regulation of Hawkers) Act, 2014. Also, the Colaba Causeway area is frequented by foreign tourists. Therefore, the organisation had claimed that all our 253 members have the right to run shops in this area. However, the High Court had rejected the organisation's petition. The organisation had approached the Supreme Court against this decision. However, the Supreme Court remitted the matter to the High Court and ordered an investigation into the legal status of the hawkers. At the same time, while extending the temporary stay on action against unlicensed hawkers, an order was also issued to resolve the dispute.
Residents also move High Court against hawkers
After the case was transferred to the High Court, the Clean Heritage Colaba Residential Association opposed the organisation's petition. The residents claimed that these hawkers are illegally setting up shops and violating the rules. In support of their claim, the residents cited a survey conducted by the BMC in 2014. Accordingly, only 79 hawkers were found eligible to operate on Shaheed Bhagat Singh Marg in Colaba Causeway, while only 19 hawkers were allowed to operate on designated roads including Regal Cinema, Henry Road, Mandlik Road, Walton Road and Mahakavi Bhushan Marg.
However, hawkers are operating in ‘no hawker’ zones and are obstructing pedestrians, violating space restrictions. Also, they are renting out shops. Moreover, most of the hawkers operate beyond the permitted hours. Similarly, hawkers are encroaching on public spaces, violating food safety and hygiene norms. As a result, residents have also claimed that their fundamental rights to a clean and safe environment are being violated. It has also sought an order to ensure that public spaces remain accessible and barrier-free.
Share
Tweet
