A meeting of citizens and hawkers convened by Citispace, an NGO, proposed that 130 municipal markets in Mumbai be redeveloped and at least 30% of street vendors be accommodated there.
Pedestrians could look forward to reclaiming the city’s footpaths if the BMC agrees to redevelop municipal markets and shift roadside vendors there.
A meeting of citizens and hawkers convened by Citispace, an NGO, proposed that 130 municipal markets in Mumbai be redeveloped and at least 30% of street vendors be accommodated there.
The suggestion will be submitted to the corporation before April 5 for incorporation in the BMC’s draft hawking policy.
Nayana Kathpalia, Citispace convenor, said, “This will bring [the hawkers] into the mainstream of entrepreneurship in the city. They will be regulated according to law. An illegal status has been haunting them for years.”
Kathpalia said once markets were redeveloped, the BMC could give the hawkers proper slots and facilities. “Pavements are made for pedestrians and that should not be forgotten,” she said.
Asked if the hawkers would not lose their clientele if they were moved from their existing locations, she said, “When Fashion Street was moved, there were similar apprehensions. The argument was that no customer will come to us. This was proved wrong.”
Kathpalia said that according to BMC records, the city has only 15,000 licensed hawkers. The rest have no right to operate. Regulating them would mean an end to the harassment by corrupt officials, she said.
“At the moment they are at the mercy of the authorities,” Neera Punj, co-convenor of Citispace, said. “Better to get into municipal markets and the mainstream than be on the footpaths. This will take a few years, but we are on the right path.”
Deputy municipal commissioner (hawkers) SS Kudalkar said it was feasible to implement the suggestion, “but we have to change the Development Control rules. Concessions like a hawking plaza need to be incorporated in the rules.”
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