In a victory of sorts for fish and meat vendors of Lower Parel's Shantabai Hule market, the BMC has stayed their eviction. The vendors, who were asked to shut shop and move to Versova, will now stay there.
dna had last month reported how the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) had alleged that the BMC was shunting out fish and meet vendors from the 100-year-old market under pressure from neighbouring housing societies, many of which are dominated by vegetarians.
"We held a meeting with the vendors and have decided that they can stay. We have asked them to remove the heavy roofs and put up a light material. This way there will be no burden on the wooden structure of the market," said Sanjay Kurhade, assistant municipal commissioner (markets).
According to BMC officials, the market on NM Joshi Marg was in a dilapidated condition and unsafe for use. Occupied by fish and meat vendors, it has around 90 small stalls.
"This is a victory for all of us. The BMC has said it will redevelop the market; the vendors have no issue with that. They are not against redevelopment, they just don't want to leave this area. We will not let fish and meat vendors be shunted out under pressure from anyone. This shows that BMC's earlier inspection and structural audit was bogus," said Sandeep Deshpande, MNS group leader in the BMC, who had taken up with matter with additional municipal commissioner Sanjay Deshmukh.
According to BMC officials, the market is a single-storey structure made of wooden frames. "We had conducted a visual inspection and found that the frames had become weak over the years. However, they can sustain for a while if the heavy roofs are removed," said an official.
The vendors have, however, refuted BMC's inspection report. "We got our own private audit done. Our report said that the structure is safe and just needs repairs. We are not against redevelopment, but the BMC can't just ask us to pack up. If they give us a plan and rehabilitate us in the same locality we will have no problem," said Abhay Patil of the vendors association.
