In a significant ruling on Wednesday, the Bombay High Court ordered 170 unlicensed hawkers to vacate Colaba Causeway, providing major relief to residents of the bustling South Mumbai area. This decision aims to clear the pavements for pedestrian use, addressing long-standing grievances about the obstruction caused by unauthorized street vendors.
The court’s directive followed revelations by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) that only 83 of the hawkers were officially licensed, contrary to the 253 claimed by the Colaba Causeway Tourism Hawkers Stall Union (CCTHSU). In response, the court requested the civic body to submit an affidavit confirming these numbers and granted the CCTHSU’s request to allow the unlicensed hawkers until Monday to clear the area.
This legal action was prompted by the Clean Heritage Colaba Residents’ Association (CHCRA), which filed an intervention plea on March 20 to join an ongoing writ petition concerning the CCTHSU. The residents’ association argued that the actual number of licensed hawkers was even lower than reported by the BMC, estimating only 79 licensed vendors. The high court had previously ordered the BMC to verify the CCTHSU’s claims, leading to the discovery of the discrepancy.
Prerak Choudhary, an advocate representing the CHCRA, expressed satisfaction with the court’s findings. “Eventually, the truth has come out. Residents have always contended that most of the hawkers on pavements are not licensed. The BMC’s list confirming only 83 licensed hawkers has validated the residents’ concerns. This is a sigh of relief for citizens who have long awaited unobstructed pavements,” said Choudhary.
Further supporting the court’s decision, former BJP corporator from Colaba, Makarand Narwekar, hailed the ruling as a significant victory for local residents. He mentioned that Colaba MLA Rahul Narwekar has earmarked ₹2.5 crore to provide modernized kiosks to the 83 authorized hawkers, an initiative aimed at preventing the return of illegal vendors and enhancing the aesthetic of Colaba Causeway.
