The famous Mithibai Khau Galli in Vile Parle West is set to shut down as work on the new Metro Line 2B moves ahead. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has ordered 12 long-standing stalls to clear the area. These stalls include the popular dosa counters known for the “Jinni Dosa”.
The spot is a daily stop for students, locals, and many food lovers who follow the smell of fresh food along Gulmohar Road. As per a report by HT, the BMC issued eviction notices to the vendors on November 14. The notices gave them seven days to remove their stalls.
The report also said that as per a joint survey by MMRDA and BMC, all 12 stalls fall on the exact line marked for the upcoming metro station. The station will serve Metro Line 2B, which will run from Mandale in Mankhurd to D N Nagar in Andheri West.
As per sources, the stalls break several rules. The stalls stand within 100 metres of schools and colleges. This goes against High Court directions. The officials added that the stalls also violate hawking norms. They said the metro station will be built at the same location, so the stalls cannot remain.
Some stalls were marked only as Aarey units but were cooking on-site. Some discharged waste into stormwater drains. Some were larger than the size allowed in the Aarey Dairy circular issued in 2005. Officials said these actions continued despite several warnings and earlier enforcement drives.
The food stalls have also been involved in legal disputes in the past. In 2015, the Bombay High Court heard cases where it ruled that vendors who cook on streets or footpaths, including those in this khau galli, are not protected under the Street Vendors Act.
The BMC notice also cited a Supreme Court order from 2013. The order bans hawking within 100 metres of hospitals and educational institutions. Gulmohar Road falls within the restricted zone of Cooper Hospital and the SVKM institutions. The BMC added that the vendors do not have the licences required under Section 313 of the Maharashtra Municipal Corporation Act of 1888.
As per reports, residents have filed many complaints over the years. They said the food waste from the stalls blocks stormwater drains. They also said the stalls add to traffic problems and use unsafe cooking practices.
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