At Malabar Hill, these hawkers are not a menace

For the upscale residents of Malabar Hill, the 42-odd hawkers in their area are not irritants like everywhere else in the city, but are considered equal stakeholders in their society.

They function as helpers or volunteers for the residents who come to their aid every time the BMC conservancy workers go on strike. Besides, when they are not hawking outside the Kamala Nehru Park—a designated hawker zone—they don innovative roles. They work as courier boys, arrange meetings for residents and instill civic sense in the tourists who flock to the park everyday.

“These hawkers are my foot soldiers, my eyes and ears. They are my sentinels who wouldn’t allow anyone to sell peanuts to customers inside the garden. A sense of pride is instilled in them,” said Indrani Malkani, secretary, Malabar Hill Residents’ Association (MHRA).

“People wanted to get rid of them but I made them realise that our drivers, security guards, construction workers and tourists buy food and tea from them. So we reasoned it was more practical to get them to work for us and to blend them into our area,” said Malkani.

The hawkers thereafter formed a group and now work in a disciplined manner. “Nothing works as well as self-regulation and we have categorically told our hawkers not to allow new ones into the area,” she said.

“We were involved in the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan where we function as civic marshals. We guide tourists and tell them not to litter the park. In the absence of BMC’s conservancy workers, we even sweep the area three times a day,” said Kundan Singh, a hawker in the area and the group’s leader.

“By integrating us in their area, they have allowed us to feel a sense of pride. We can ply our trade legally and at the same time be of some use to the residents,” said Ravi Harani, a sandwich stall owner near the park.