The Bombay High Court on Tuesday emphasized the growing problem of unauthorized hawkers on public roads and footpaths, calling it a “mammoth problem” that requires proactive measures from local authorities. During a hearing, a division bench consisting of Justices M.S. Sonak and Kamal Khata highlighted the importance of ensuring that no party suffers from this issue—be it the public, shop owners, or legally licensed hawkers.
The court’s concerns were raised during a session where the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and the Maharashtra government presented their affidavits, outlining the actions taken against unauthorized hawkers and future plans to mitigate the issue. According to BMC’s counsel Anil Singh, 20 areas within Mumbai have been identified where regular vigilance is maintained to prevent hawkers from setting up stalls without proper authorization.
The High Court stressed the importance of managing the time and place for hawking activities to address this issue effectively. “The problem is mammoth. Hence, there have to be some proactive measures,” the bench stated.
Senior counsel Gayatri Singh, representing a hawkers union, pointed out that even vendors with valid licenses often face forcible removal by civic authorities. In response, the court acknowledged the difficulties faced by licensed hawkers and affirmed that those with official permissions should be fully protected, while those without should be managed more stringently to prevent overwhelming the public spaces.
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The court has directed the hawkers union to file an affidavit detailing their grievances and has scheduled further hearing on the matter for Thursday. Meanwhile, the BMC’s affidavit revealed that daily inspections are conducted across all wards to monitor and ensure no unauthorized hawking occurs, especially within a 150-meter radius around suburban railway stations. Additionally, specific hawking zones have been designated to regulate and organize street vending activities effectively.
