thane station area cleared of hawkers, illegal auto...
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Dated: 23/12/2011.To,Ward Officer – P-South,The BMC’s Licensing (Encroachment) department,P-south Ward, Goregaon-West,Mumbai – 400104
Subject: Ref. To Complaint No 0721359055 by ‘Across Mumbai’ English newspaper at 1916 control room. Need Immediate Action against Illegal Hawkers Encroachment on foothpath (Hawkers Proliferation) adjacent to Municipal School, Hospital and Station Road and give justice to Pedestrians as per the para 15 of Civil Appeals No. 4156 – 4157 of 2002 of SC order dated 30.7.2003 by Justice S N Variava (Maharashtra Ekta Hawkers Union & Anr (Applents) Vs Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai & Ors (Respondents).
Para:
1. Pedestrians FREE-FOOTHPATH and PAVEMENT : Am being one of the Pedestrian from Goregaon, Station road has been now totally fed-up with the uprising situation of the congested road , forced to write this letter to you and request your kind attention to visualize the practical experience, plus also request to make a note of these true factsheet of the list of problem’s mentioned below. Goregaonkar’s are mentally harassed & physically tortured by passing crowded road especially during peak hours, due to illegal hawker’s encroachment on the foothpath adjacent to Municipal school, Municipal hospital, opposite to Lalit Restaurant and Station Road. Pedestrians are mentally dying every day and observed to be worse than living like in hell. Life of the
Goregaonkar’s especially nearby residential area people turned out to be like a ‘LIFELESS’ and ‘HORRIBLE’. We would kindly request you to evict illegal hawkers from this Non-Hawking Zones to any other BMC defined Hawking Zones immediately as soon as this request reaches your desk.
2. Problems faced by the Goregaon Residents including Children, Senior Citizen and Office goers .
i. The Station Road till Railway Station, Road adjacent to Municipal School, Municipal Hospital and Municipal Market are completely encroached and blocked by illegal hawkers. The pedestrians had no option but to walk on the middle of the road as the footpaths are totally encroached by the hawkers.
ii. The encroachments on footpaths had forced our families and resident of Goregaonkar’s to use the road while risking our lives and it is becoming difficult during the peak hours in the evening for pedestrians specially Senior Citizen-Office goers to walk through the road.
iii. Besides that, the illegal stalls have eaten up the footpath. “The situation is terrible. There is no place to walk on the footpath. People have to walk on the road. Even the station road is so crowded that people dread among themselves and even sometimes due to this reason they have been seen fighting on the road. In Mumbai no one can walk on the footpaths because they are captured by hawkers forcing people to walk on the roads and endangering their lives.
iv. For a group of people fighting for years against illegal hawking in the locality, there is no outcome, rather than the situation is becoming more alarming and more unethical.
v. Some shopkeepers observation is that - due to the hawkers, shoppers are unable to see the signs of their shops, and their business has been affected. In many cases across mumbai, there is evidential proof that shopkeepers who have complained about the hawkers have received threats from them. A story recently cited in some media - Some illegal hawkers, who recently attacked a shopkeeper in Andheri and took to similar violence in Bandra and Vakola and the same incident could spread to other wards also.
vi. The residents faced severe issues at the receiving end as hawkers dump their metal stands in housing societies every time the civic corporation's van would come to confiscate their goods. The perennial problem has been that hawkers return soon after the BMC raiding party leaves. Residents also have a doubt that the authorities releasing the identities of citizens who had raised their voice against irregularities.
3. Don’t you think Local Authorities be it BMC ward, Traffic department or Police department or Ward CORPORATORS are responsible for deaths & accidental injuries to pedestrians walking on roads because of the CONGESTION caused due to these Illegal hawkers who has covered 60% of the foothpath and the pavement including FREE SPACE. Are they charged & tried for this crime. The encroachment of roads by hawkers, slums etc are also responsible for traffic jams. The administrations apathy is responsible for the extra time each person in this city spends on commuting.
4. In fact more than anything else it shows how badly the LOCAL AUTHORITIES has neglected the infrastructure of this city which is home to us and made it a source for raising revenue in private. Mumbaikars are India's biggest, most honest tax-paying community. This ought to give us the muscle to demand, not beg.
5. The Brihanmumbai Mahanagar Palika (बृहन्मुंबई महानगर पालि�का) is the civic body that governs the city of Mumbai and is India's richest municipal organisation. Its annual budget is even more than that of some of the small states of India. BMC is responsible for the civic infrastructure and administration of the city of Mumbai. Its motto, यतो धर्म�स्ततो जय (Sanskrit: Yato Dharmastato Jaya or, Where there is Righteousness, there shall be Victory) is inscribed on the banner of its Coat of Arms
6. Let us understand the hierarchy of BMCi. Municipal Commissioner : We understand that the corporation is headed by a
Municipal commissioner, an IAS officer said to be highly qualified and wields the executive power of the house.
ii. Elected Ward Corporator: A elected corporators to power are responsible for overseeing that their constituencies have the basic civic infrastructure in place, and that there is no lacuna on the part of the authorities.
iii. Mayor of Mumbai : The mayor (a largely ceremonial post with limited duties) heads the party with the largest vote.
iv. Ward Officer : Each ward is under the administrative control of a ward officer.
7. BMC Hierarchical function : There is a Municipal Commissioner along with the Mayor-in-Council to oversee the activities of the BMC. There is a police commissionerate for the entire BMC area headed by the Police Commissioner with the headquarters at Crawford Market. The BMC area is further divided into seven police zones. The traffic commissionerate headquarters is located at Crawford Market and there are seventeen traffic divisions in Mumbai.
8. We quote para 15 of Civil Appeals No. 4156 – 4157 of 2002 of SC order dated 30.7.2003 by Justice S N Variava (Maharashtra Ekta Hawkers Union & Anr (Applents) Vs Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai & Ors (Respondents) : “It is expected that citizens and shopkeepers shall participate in keeping non-hawking zones / areas free from hawkers. They shall do so by bringing to the notice of the concerned ward officer (i.e. Assistant Municipal Commissioner) the presence of a hawker in a non-hawking zone / area. The concerned ward officer shall take immediate steps to remove such a hawker. In case the ward officer takes no action a written complaint may be filed by the citizen / shopkeeper to the Committee. (I.e. Hawking / Non-Hawking Zone Scheme Implementation Committee). The Committee shall look into the complaint and if found correct the Committee will with the help of police remove the hawker. The officer in charge of the concerned police station is directed to give prompt and immediate assistance to the Committee. In the event of the Committee finding the complaint to be correct it shall so record. On the Committee so recording an adverse remark, failure to perform his duty will be entered in the confidential record of the concerned ward officer. If more than three such entries are found in the record of an officer it would be a ground for withholding promotion. If more than 6 such entries are found in the records of an officer if shall be a ground for termination of service. For the work of attending to such complaints BMC shall pay to the Chairman a fixed honorarium of Rs. 10,000/- p.m.”
9. Gist of Law and Order passed by Supreme court i. The Supreme Court has passed an order allowing hawking only on roads
named in the order -which means that all other roads should be completely free from hawkers.
ii. The order also says that there should be no hawkers within 150 metres of any railway station, Bus terminus, Schools, Temples and other public spaces.
iii. Even on the roads where hawking is allowed the numbers will be regulated by BMC & photo-passes will be issued to these hawkers who have to wear the pass on their shirt/clothes.
iv. Each hawker is only allowed 1 Sq.Mtr. Space & no structure can be built by them,
v. They have to conduct their activity between 9.30 am to 7.00 pm & then leave the place carrying all their goods with them - which cannot be left on the roads.
vi. Even handcarts used by fruit & vegetable vendors are illegal as these create traffic jams.
10. Result of Negligence and Ignorance on part of Local Authorities or Ward Officers
i. Due to the Local Authorities officials negligence and ignorance either intentionally or unintentionally, the hawkers has taken control over your department as well as the control over Ward Corporator.
ii. There are instances when the BMC van arrives at the spot, but not even one illegal stall is eradicated. Is this exercise done for formalities or to gain the public sympathy or just to fool around the innocent public of Goregaonkar’s?
iii. Due the Local Authorities official’s negligence and ignorance, people is suffering and dying. Who is responsible for this severe mental torture – BMC or Police department or Traffic department or the Corporator or the Municipal Commissioner or the Mayor of Mumbai?
iv. Due to the Local Authorities officials negligence and ignorance the time which take to commute to station from our home is not more than 5 minutes but due to these illegal hawkers encroachment currently it takes more than 15 minutes.
v. Ward Officer is appointed by the BMC for the public and to serve the public but it is seen that in your presence there is no control on the illegal hawkers neither there is any regulation of laws.
vi. Due to negligence and ignorance on behalf of Local Authorities, the Law and Order passed by Justice of High Court and Supreme Court to maintain the foothpath and pavement clean and FREE from illegal hawkers is ‘KILLED’, ‘Insulted’, ‘Ignored’, ‘Taken for granted’, ‘Not Implemented’, ‘Handicapped’.
vii. Due to Local Authorities official’s negligence and ignorance, it is observed that your department have totally failed in delivering their role and responsibility for which they had been appointed by the BMC on behalf of public.
11. Roles and Responsibilities of a Ward Officer, as per our understanding i. It is the role and responsibility of a BMC Ward officer, traffic department and
local police authorities to keep a close eye on these hawkers and ensure that they do not encroach the stalls on the foothpath adjacent to Municipal Hospital and Municipal school.
ii. Immediate action should be taken to implement the order passed by the Justice of High Court and Supreme Court.
iii. Eradicate and Evacuate all the illegal stalls encroachment that has taken the shape of OWNERSHIP of public property and public asset.
iv. Public property and public asset like foothpath, pavements, open space, gardens and public toilet should be maintained by BMC and especially kept for the sake of public and only for the USE of PUBLIC.
v. Public property like Foothpath, Pavement, Open Spaces, and Garden should be kept – FREE OF HAWKERS. Foothpath is meant only for the ‘PEDESTRIANS’. Usage of Foothpath is for the public to walk and not meant for hawkers to hawk.
vi. No-Hawking Zones should be FREE from hawking. Station road as well as road adjacent to Municipal hospital and Municipal school should be strictly FREE from HAWKING. Any illegal ENCROACHMENT in these area found should be immediately recorded in BMC non-compliance book and severe action has to be taken by the BMC Encroachment department.
vii. Every BMC Ward Officer is responsible and accountable to implement his role and duties to tackle the entire unbearable public problem.
viii. It is the duty of the BMC P-South Ward Officer, Ward Corporator including traffic police and local civil police to plan and drive out illegal hawkers on a war-footing as an immediate steps.
ix. Unauthorised encroachment on open public spaces should be banned and restricted following with fines and penalties. These fines and penalties should be deposited under the government treasury.
x. As per the observation, being given to understand that there are appox. more than 1000 (plus or minus) illegal hawkers hawking at a very CRITICAL ZONE of Goregaon West. Impose a large fine which will act as a deterrent for any illegal hawking activity.
xi. Traffic jams and vehicle getting stuck due to traffic-jam could easily have been avoided by removing blocks created by illegal hawkers.
xii. Enforce the supreme court order strictly.xiii. Increase the BMC staff strength for curbing the illegal encroachments by
hawkers and there should be daily monitoring which should happen after 6.30 pm as that is the PEAK time for pedestrians and office-goers to market and come back from office.
xiv. A display board clearly defining – Hawking Zones and No-Hawking Zones.
12. Some Live Example of Recent Criminal Incident and successful implementation of evacuating the illegal hawkers from station road by Deputy Municipal Commissioner & Shopkeeper’s association taken from various sources.Around three months ago, the ward officials removed around 700 illegal hawkers from the SV Road at Andheri and the nearby areas such as MA Road and Masjid Lane. Ramesh Pawar, assistant commissioner of Andheri (west) ward, said: “On citizens’ complaints and the Supreme Courts orders, we have been acting against them and will continue.”Deputy municipal commissioner of zone IV, Ashok Khaire said action against illegal hawkers would continue by following all rules and regulations.
Shopkeepers in Andheri also received a letter from the office of the BMC’s Licensing (Encroachment) department telling them that all illegal hawkers had been removed from SV Road and from areas surrounding the Andheri Railway Station. After the BMC and police drive out hawkers in the first three months, "the shopkeepers' association would take over, beautify the footpaths and deploy security guards", said Pawar. He said this is to ensure the hawkers don't reappear. These decisions were announced at a meeting of the Andheri Shopkeepers' Association, residents, the BMC and the police. There was an incidence on one of the Wednesday, where a shopkeeper was beaten by the street hawkers was also condemned at the meeting.
One Wednesday afternoon, around five men entered Jewellers shop on S V Road, near Andheri (West) station, dragged out the store's owner, aged 50, and started bashing him ruthlessly in the midst of a large crowd because the owner had regularly raised his voice against illegal hawkers in the area, who block the front of the legal shops, thereby affecting their business.
Same incidence can be cited if we go back to October 2003, where BJP corporator from Goregaon (W), was stabbed by a saloon owner at Topiwala Lane, Goregaon Corporator was admitted to the Hospital. The police than booked the person who stabbed. Anyone who raise their voice against any illegal activities or corruption is openly threatened or trapped in some false cases or traced his routes and timings for attacks or ruthlessly beaten up in front of public or may be attempt to Kill or attempt to Murdered.
Evidence from MUMBAI, Kharie village in Old Khar, Six hawkers nabbed for assaulting Old Khar resident (Name not to be disclosed) for allegedly beating up a resident, age (38). Old Khar resident had got into an argument with the accused over illegal hawking in the area, following with they assaulted him. Old Khar resident was than undergone treatment for head injuries at Bhabha Hospital.
Mumbaikars pay TAXES to government, inturn which is utilized in paying Salaries to Local Authorities appointed to deliver their Roles & Responsibilities – honestly and sincerely. If any such cases happen with anyone of the Mumbaikars who tried to raise their voice towards EVACUATION of ILLEGAL STALLS ENCROACHMENT – don’t you think the local authorities of that local area should be hold responsible and they should inturn be ready to sacrifice their Service.
It is in any case, obligatory, mandatory, statutory and by Supreme Court order, to keep unauthorised and illegal hawkers away and FREE the foothpath and pavement for the sake of Pedestrians and public as the same is public property and is meant for walking.
You are kindly advised to DELIVER the High Court and Supreme Court’s Justice Order and RESPECT the Law and Order for the SAFETY and SAKE of public.
We expect a decent and disciplinary action towards this movement at the earliest.
Thanks and Regards,
Kavita Thakker(One of the Pedestrians)
Cc: Deputy Commissioner of Police.Cc: Deputy Municipal Commissioner - Ashok Khaire, Andheri.Cc: Municipal Commissioner - Subodh Kumar.Cc: Traffic Department, Crawford Market.Cc: Ward Corporator – Shree Raju Padhye.
Cc: Sameer Desai, Corporator (Congress).
To Drawn an attention, Intervention and Suggestion of alien Political Parties
Cc: Shree Nitish Narayan Rane, Swabhiman.
Cc: Shree Sharad Pawar, NCP.Cc: Shree Gurudas Kamath, Congress (Member of Parliament)Cc: Shree ShreeKala Pillai – Congress.Cc: Shree Shailendra More – MNS (Ward No 50).Cc: Shree Rajsaheb Thakare – MNSCc: Shree Balasaheb Thakare - ShivsenaCc: Shree Subash Desai - Shivsena
To Drawn an attention, Intervention and Suggestion of all the Editor of Media (Maharashtra)To Drawn an attention, Intervention and Suggestion of all the NGOTo Drawn an attention, Intervention and Suggestion of all the Human Rights.
Empty Spaces
The politicians are systematically robbing the city of every open space by dereserving the spaces meant for Gardens, Playgrounds etc. and making money from builders for doing so. This leads to lack of space for children to play forcing them to play on beaches, traffic filled roads, building compounds etc. and in most cases giving up playing altogether and developing other unhealthy habits. For older people if they want to go out for a walk no spaces are left.
What the Government should do: * Provide enough open public spaces in the form of Parks, Jogging tracks, Playgrounds in every locality - If government cannot maintain these, enough corporate sponsors are available to adopt & maintain such facilities.
What citizens need to do:* Demand such open spaces within your locality and protest vociferously whenever a dereservation is done cheating you of your right.
Parking Space
If you visit any public place like airport, railway station, bus stand, market, Theatre etc. there is no parking available. In all big cities in the world the municipal authorities have ensured there
is multi level parking upto 10 stories high around such areas and indeed in every locality and therefore there is no parking on roads. Our administration has not bothered to do any of this because it does not fetch them any votes if they do these things. Nor is there any protest from the citizens at the prevailing chaos.
7. Garbage & Littering
Open Garbage bins with garbage strewn all over the road are a common sight especially in the suburbs.
What the Government should do:* Make it compulsory for each housing society to segregate wet & dry garbage and impose a very steep fine the societies that don't do it. * Technology is available to turn wet garbage into manure. The BMC does not want to implement it because the private contractors used by BMC to transport Garbage to the dumping grounds will lose their incomes and would therefore affect BMC staff as well. * BMC needs to incentivise those societies & entities who reduce, segregate & treat garbage & levy a steep penalty on those who create, do not segregate and treat garbage. * Plastic bags are used indiscriminately and are responsible for a lot of ills. Govt needs to launch awareness campaigns. * For littering on roads, trains, buses and any public space there should be steep fines e.g. in Singapore the fine for littering on roads is upto Rs. 25,000/- This kind of fine is a clear deterrent & We need to have such steep fines for this & other public nuisance.* Government needs to launch awareness campaigns on all the above points.
8. Quality of staff at BMC, Police etc.The quality of staff at most government offices needs a lot of upgradation & training. They need to be paid better to attract better talent. The numbers also are inadequate keeping in mind the growth in the population in the city.
Appeal to all Mumbaikars* Please spare some time & make efforts to solve the problems faced by the city * No one will help you till you assert yourself and make your views heard * Do exercise your vote effectively to ensure the people who follow anti Mumbai policies or who ignore Mumbai are thrown out
THE EXCUSES, ENFORCE SC ORDER'Linah Baliga | TNN
Mumbai: The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) claims it cannot start implementing its policy on street vendors until the president green signals a required amendment in the Bombay Police Act. But for activists, this argument is an excuse to put off creating hawking and non-hawking zones that would ease the chaos on some of Mumbai's roads. "The BMC refuses to create zones for street vendors unless the draft policy is made a law. This is but an excuse," said Nayana Kathpalia, co-convenor of NGO Citispace. "It's clear in the Supreme Court's orders of 2003 and 2007 that till such time the policy comes into force, the SC order is valid and the BMC must implement it." In 2007, the SC, after studying a submitted report, had demarcated 230 Mumbai streets as hawking zones. The number was later increased to 1,700. "The state government told the SC in 2007 that it's in the process of framing a policy on hawkingon the lines of the national policy on hawking. The court said its scheme should be enforced until the state finalizes and implements a policy," said advocate Jamshed Mistry. The BMC's draft policy recommends formation of a ward hawkers committee and a city hawkers committee, the latter of which has been criticized by Citispace as 'too unwieldy' to work effectively. TIMES VIEW People manning the BMC's ward offices will have to decide whose side they are on: the tax-paying citizen's or the law-breaking hawker's. The figures here tell the whole story; registering less than one FIR every month when the situation is abundantly evident all over the city—especially along arterial roads as well as roads leading to railway stations in the suburbs—is a breach of the citizen's trust. It is this attitude that results in incidents of hawkers bashing up citizens demanding the space that is
rightfully theirs. Senior officers in the BMC must monitor the activities of ward-level junior officers to tackle the problem.
>>>
ONLY 34 FIRS ON ILLEGAL HAWKERS IN 3 YEARS
BMC Evicted 6L Vendors, But Took Strict Action Against Just A HandfulLinah Baliga | TNN
The civic body removed more than 6 lakh illegal hawkers over more than three years, but registered first information reports (FIR) against merely 34 and further fined only a section. Activists say it is this absence of strict punishment that has emboldened Mumbai's hawkers to openly flout laws and return to the same spots again and again. Between April 2008 and August 2011, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) claims it cleared away 6.23 lakh illegal street sellers. The first year—from April 2008 to March 2009—1.79 lakh vendors were removed, the next financial year 1.72 lakh, and in the next 1.83 lakh. In the five months beginning April this year, the corporation says it forced out more than 87,000 illegal roadside sellers. And yet, only a few of them were punished. During the period, just 34 FIRs were filed which, on an average, means less than one FIR a month. Also, the corporation collected from errant sellers a total fine (called redemption charges) of Rs 8.7 crore. This collection, said civic activist Milind Mulay, could have been at least six times higher (Rs 56.23 crore, to be precise) had the civic body levied even the minimum fine on all those 6.23 lakh hawkers removed. The minimum redemption charge was Rs 1,120 per hawker until April 2010, after which it was reduced to Rs 620. The data on hawkers was sought by Mulay under the Right to Information Act. Submitted by S Avhad, superintendent of licences (SL), it includes the figures from all 24 municipal wards. Civic activists argue that the figures show it is the BMC's ineffectiveness in filing FIRs against illegal hawkers and fining them that encourages these vendors to return to the same spots repeatedly. "The authorities must fine more illegal hawkers if they want to make their action effective. This would leave it uneconomical for illegal hawkers to continue," said Mulay. "The current rules may be a deterrent but they need to be implemented strictly." An illegal hawker in Dadar told TOI on condition of anonymity: "The BMC takes action against a group of hawkers but fines just one of them. To ply our trade, we pay Rs 30 every day to a lineman who collects it and passes it on to the BMC and the police." Vijay Balmwar, deputy municipal commissioner, encroachment removal, claimed the information regarding FIRs was incorrect. "We have filed more FIRs. This information has come from SL and not ward-level senior inspectors (licence), who are public information officers." In repsonse, Avhad said the data he submitted had, in fact, been collected from all 24 wards. Contesting the data, Ramesh Pawar, assistant commissioner, K-West ward, claimed he has lodged 42 complaints—which lead to FIRs—against illegal hawkers this year in his ward. He explained that the BMC files two types of FIRs against illegal vendors. One is registered under section 353 of the Bombay Police Act, when a hawker "violently" prevents civic officials from carrying out their action. The other is filed under sections (313) and 516 3(A) of MMC Act 1888 for rendering services in a public place without a license, which is a cognisable offence. "The police then decides on the course of action and produces the hawker in a magistrate's court," said Pawar.
KANDIVLI Atul Vora, a Citispace activist, says there are many hawkers on Mathuradas Road in Kandivli (West). Just recently, residents came out on the streets in Mahavir Nagar and
forced the BMC to take stringent action against illegal street sellers. Subsequently, a cleanliness drive was conducted in the area. "It was not the BMC but local residents who got rid of the hawkers. It was us who complained to the ward office. The civic body is wary of taking action against illegal hawkers since they fear being attacked. Its officers complain they have no police protection," says Vora
MAHIM The main encroachers in Mahim, says Herman Dias, a member of Zameen ALM, are the basket weavers on Mahim station road, who scuttle all attempts to beautify the area by uprooting plants. The moment the BMC comes to evict them, they jump onto the adjacent railway property. That is why the civic body has now decided to brick up the gaps in the wall running parallel to the train tracks. Dias says the policy on hawkers will be useful since it allots few hawking zones in the G-North ward, where Mahim falls. Even so, the ALM is not banking on the policy. It is awaiting the formation of encroachment removal squads, which was promised by a former assistant municipal commissioner. In case, the corporation fails to form these squads, Dias says, the ALM will take their complaint to BMC chief Subodh Kumar
VILE PARLE (W) In Vile Parle (W), it is the citizens' groups that have done more than the civic body to keep away encroachers. "We look after the station road area, SV Road, Dadabhai Road and Bapubhai Vashi Road," says Veena Sanghvi, secretary of Vile Parle (West) Parivartan Sahakar Samiti ALM. "We got rid of a pav bhaji vendor on Baja Road corner and cleared the khau galli." Every night, Sanghvi claims, at least 50 people would stand guard. "On Dadabhai Road, the footpath is narrow and encroached. There are six illegal vendors currently conducting business there. We are now focusing on evicting them"
ANDHERI (W) An attack on a shopkeeper by illegal hawkers in Andheri and similar violence in Bandra and Vakola recently prompted 13 ALMs from Bandra to Andheri to come together under an umbrella group called United K (West) Federation. The group's objective is to keep away illegal roadside vendors from their areas. Its president Kamaljit Singh argues, "BMC action isn't as effective as it should be. It is apparent that there is pressure on the ward officer from some sources, hindering his work. Today, since there are three BMC vans parked opposite the station, there are no hawkers there." These hawkers, Singh says, have simply moved to the stretch between Laram Centre and McDonald's on MA Road despite the
presence of BMC and police vans there. "The vans leave after 6pm, which defeats the purpose" — Linah Baliga
[rti4empowerment] Re: Illegal Hawkers - Reminder Four जय हिंद***JAI HIND
भारत बनार्म भ्रष्टाचार ***INDIA AGAINST CORRUPTION
2011 AUG 17
From a Citizen of The Republic of India, that is, Bharatha
Shri R PAWARAssistant Municipal Comissioner
Anger is the only antidote
Fight Politician-Builder Nexus With Protests, Citizens’ Initiatives
By Pritish Nandy
What never fails to enrage me is the Mumbaikar’s meekness. The reason’s obvious: Mumbai is a business city and business people never confront. They seek easy, convenient, soft solutions. Why argue with a traffic cop if you can get away by giving him a small bribe even if you are not in the wrong? Why confront a college principal if you can get your son admitted by paying a donation, merit be damned? Why go to watch another movie if you can get a ticket in black? Why argue with a taxi-driver even though you know he’s cheating you? It’s our meekness that has brought Mumbai to this sorry state. We who live here always sidestep confrontation. While it may be good for business, this culture of compromising with wrongdoing corrupts civil society and allows only the venal to prosper. This is the tragedy of Mumbai. Nobody is ready to stand up against what is wrong. Chalta hai is our answer to exploitation, intimidation, harassment, injustice, sometimes even crime.
I am sick of hearing stories about how heroic the Mumbaikar is, how we have survived the floods, breakdown of telecom services, powercuts, potholes, no water, no medicines during the past week. Of all the self-congratulatory nonsense, this is the most pathetic. More people died in the floods than were killed by insurgents in Kashmir over the past year. This is not something any self-respecting nation can take lightly, certainly not a nation that wants to be recognised as a world power. The Centre cannot wash its hands off, like Pontius Pilate, simply by donating Rs 500 crore. We are not beggars. We are not seeking charity. We want the guilty punished. Every Mumbaikar knows who the villains are. We also know who protects them and why. Yet we do nothing about it. We are safely ensconced in our own petty worlds and refuse to look beyond it. We turn a blind eye to every act of wrongdoing in the belief that it’s none of our business and if we ignore it for long enough it will simply go away. It’s this mind-numbing ennui, this conspiracy of silence, that’s killing Mumbai. If the staircase outside our flat collapses, it’s not our problem. If the garbage piles upon the road, no one bothers. If the builder nextdoor cuts down trees, we look away. If we wake up one morning to see mangroves being destroyed to build a housing colony, we pretend it’s none of our business. We are far too solipsistic. We live with the illusion that as long as we get a foothold in the train, it does not matter if the services are collapsing. If our house is safe, it does not matter if the elderly Parsi couple next door is murdered. If our own jobs are intact, who cares whether mill-owners are laying off workers. It’s the typical Mumbai attitude: everyone for himself. That’s why the builders get away defying all regulations, destroying the wetlands, diverting rivers, paying off politicians. Sewage systems get clogged. No one bothers. Water supply dries up. No one cares. Hills are blasted, CRZ laws are violated, public spaces are grabbed. No one gives a damn. We have now reached a stage where the entire ecology of the city is irreparably damaged. It never mattered who ruled Mumbai. Everyone had the same agenda: To rape, loot, grab whatever they could. Today every bully struts around as if he owns this city. The unholy nexus between builders, politicians, public servants has grown so strong that it’s no longer possible for the common citizen to even defend himself. Lonely old people are being thrown out of their homes and their properties grabbed and redeveloped into huge multi-storied complexes. Families of thousands of mill-workers are begging on the streets while mills are morphing into fancy malls. Yet no one dares to raise his voice. A strange miasma of fear has paralysed the common man. He no longer believes his voice can be heard. This is Gotham City where the corrupt and the wicked rule. The fact is: Mumbai can still be saved. But the only ones who can do it are you and me, the common citizen. The rest have sold their soul to Mammon. It’s only our initiatives that can save our city. Don’t kid yourself that this year’s floods, in which a thousand people died and disappeared, are an aberration and will not happen again. It’s a lie. The city has been permanently crippled. So the weather changes are here to stay. What happened last week will happen again and again unless we fight for corrective action. That’s why it’s imperative we take on the nexus of builders, politicians and public servants with our own citizens’ initiatives. It’s the only option left. If the roads are a mess, don’t pay road tax. If you are not getting water, stop paying water tax. If even a hundred respectable law-abiding citizens of Mumbai refuse to pay incometax, in protest against the Centre’s attitude to Mumbai, you will have a movement that can change the city’s future and force the government to play its real role instead of collaborating with criminals and thugs. "If we fight, we may not always win, but if we don't fight, we will surely lose."MADHU SAWANT ([email protected])Save--our-- Mumbai
On Tue, Aug 9, 2011 at 7:58 PM, Jagdeep DESAI <[email protected]> wrote:
जय हिंद***
JAI HIND
2011 AUG 09
On the Anniversary of Quit India Movement
The Republic of India, that is, Bharatha
Shri R PAWAR
Assistant Municipal Comissioner
K West Ward
MCGM
Mumbai Police
Mumbai Traffic Police
Copies to
DMC
K West Ward
MCGM
AMC
Western Suburbs
MC
MCGM
DCP
Mumbai Police
JCP
Mumbai Traffic Police
Shri Gurudas KAMAT
MP
Mumbai Northwest
Dear Sirs,
In reference to the official visit on 2011 JAN 07 in Lallubhai Park area, by Shri Gurudas KAMAT, Member of Parliament, Mumbai North West, and various communications.
The matter below is self explanatory.
Despite and inspite of repeated requests and representations to the appropriate authorities, there is no respite or relief to the residents.
In fact, the situation has literally worsened, if that is possible, after this visit.
The illegal hawkers are now occupying the Andheri West station road, as well as parts of S V Road.
The pedestrians, passengers are totally inconvenienced and harassed by these obstructions day and night.
The place is filthy throughout the day, aided negatively by the totally misplaced location of the solid waste management chowkie at the South West end of Andheri West Station.
This is a totally wrong place for the MCGM garbage compactors and dumpers because the vehicles are driven rashly, in wrong direction, and spilling the garbage and dirty liquid on the road, which splashes onto the pedetrians going to and from the station.
The smell is also over powering.
Not the way to start the day at all.
Besides, total non enforcement of traffic rulkes endanger everybody using the roiad, which can be relieved if the traffic was
reversed, ie, made to go North South instead of South North.
Details available on request
It is not civilised.
You are surely aware of the various orders by the Supreme Court on the matter of illegal hawkers, as mentioned below, in particular, the orders of the Supreme Court, excerpted here
2. The Municipal Corporation accepts the suggestion of Citispace and agrees with the directions given in para 14(15) of the judgment dated 9.12.2003 to be
substituted by the following:-
"Complaints in respect of hawkers, encroachers and unauthorised parkings by shop owners shall be brought to the notice of the concerned Ward Officer who is an Assistant Municipal Commissioner (AMC). The Ward Officer concerned shall
take immediate steps to respond to the complaint and remove the hawker, encroacher and unauthorised parkings by shop owners where he if found to be in a non-hawking zone/area. In case the Ward Officer takes no action, a written complaint may be filed by the citizen to his immediate superior, the Deputy
Municipal Commissioner (DMC) of the zone. The DMC shall look into the complaint And if found correct he will with the help of the police remove the hawkers, encroachers and unauthorised parkings by shop owners. The Officer-in-Charge of the police station concerned is directed to give
prompt and immediate assistance to the DMC. In the event of the DMC findings the complaint to be correct, he shall so record an adverse remark in respect of the failure of the Ward Officer to perform his duty will be entered in the Confidential Report of the Ward Officer concerned. If more than 3 such entries
are found in the record of an officer, it would be a ground for withholding promotion. If more than 6 such entries are found in the record of an officer, it shall be a ground for termination of service."
It is in any case, obligatory, mandatory, statutory and now, compulsory by Supreme Court order, as below, to keep unauthorised and illegal hawkers away.
You are kindly advised to follow the Supreme Court order as below to the letter and spirit.
Thanqx.
Jagdeep DESAI
Secretary
Founder Trustee
Forum for Improving Quality of Life in Mumbai Suburbs
http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-07-28/mumbai/29824380_1_illegal-hawkers-thane-station-satis-bridge
Thane station area cleared of hawkers, illegal auto shedsNitin Yeshwantrao, TNN Jul 28, 2011, 03.53am IST
Tags:
R R Patil
THANE: Civic authorities in Mumbai, who are under instructions from home minister R R Patil to reduce the crowd flow and regulate traffic movement in select city spots, could take a leaf out of the Thane experiment.
Thane municipal commissioner R A Rajeev's policy of zero tolerance towards roadside vendors and hawkers has evidently made a big difference to lakhs of commuters rushing in or out of the Thane station. The entire station area has been swept clean of hawkers as well as illegal sheds set up by autorickshaw unions, which are affiliated to various political groups.
A year ago, locals recalled, the area underneath the SATIS bridge was virtually hijacked by stalls selling pirated CDs, mobile covers and vegetable vendors. Covering a small distance would take a good 10 to 15 minutes during the rush hour with unregulated auto traffic adding to pedestrian woes.
>>>
On Wed, Feb 2, 2011 at 12:12 AM, Jagdeep DESAI <[email protected]> wrote:
Hello,
What appears to be Contempt of Court yet again
http://www.mumbaimirror.com/article/2/2011012020110120032044462316c478f/JVPD's-illegal-hawkers-BMC-throws-up-its-hands.html?pageno=3
The authorities have no qualms in passing the buck to the Citizens, but don't give the powers.
Meantime, the usual business at the non hawking areas in K West, goes on as, what else, usual.
Thanqx.
Jagdeep
>>>
JVPD's illegal hawkers: BMC throws up its hands
Civic body tells residents they should deploy own security to control menace
Sobiya Moghul
Posted On Thursday, January 20, 2011 at 03:20:44 AM
The high court may have asked the BMC and the police to cooperate in the removal of hawkers from no-hawking zones but the two agencies are busy passing the buck to each other. BMC has even asked residents of JVPD scheme to deploy their own security personnel to remove illegal hawkers.
Last week, Navalben and Khimji Hairya, who live on Gulmohar Road, were attacked by four
men who were armed with a knife and gun. They were robbed of jewellery worth Rs 1.5 lakh. Navalben, 74, is in the ICU at CritiCare Hospital with stab injuries in the head and stomach.
JVPD residents feel the attackers could be men who frequent the illegal eating joints in the area and cater to customers till 4 am.
Jayesh Shah, a builder, said, "Instances of chain snatching and theft have increased in the area in the last 18 months and it is solely because of these stalls and dhabas. People sit here the whole day, doing nothing. It seems they keep an eye on the movement of residents."
"After what happened to the Hariyas, we fear for safety of senior citizens in the area," he added.
Filmmaker and activist Ashoke Pandit said, "Between Mithibai College and Cooper Hospital, there are more than 300 houses which have senior citizens. Of these, in more than 100 houses, sons and daughters leave for work with only kids and old people at home. The security of these people is at risk. These are plush societies with security personnel, but goons are known to be very smart."
While BMC Additional Commissioner for K ward said, "We clear hawkers every 15 days and it's the responsibility of police to ensure they stay away. Citizens should adopt an area, deploy their security men and once the BMC has removed hawkers, ensure it remains hawker-free."
To this, DCP Zone 9 K M M Prasanna, said, "I can't station my constable on every road. Like at Hill Road and Linking Road, BMC should station its vehicles and officers here to stop encroachment. After that we are ready to provide any assistance they require.
>>>
On Tue, Jan 25, 2011 at 11:38 AM, Jagdeep DESAI <[email protected]> wrote:
जय हिंद***
JAI HIND
2011 JAN 25
Eve of the Republic Day Anniversary of
The Republic of India, that is, Bharatha
Shri R PAWAR
The attack on 74-yr-old Navalben Hairya (above) has highlighted the risk local senior citizens face
Assistant Municipal Comissioner
K West Ward
MCGM
Mumbai Police
Mumbai Traffic Police
Copies to
DMC
K West Ward
MCGM
AMC
Western Suburbs
MC
MCGM
DCP
Mumbai Police
JCP
Mumbai Traffic Police
Shri Gurudas KAMAT
MP
Mumbai Northwest
Dear Sirs,
In reference to the official visit on 2011 JAN 07 in Lallubhai Park area, by Shri Gurudas KAMAT, Member of Parliament, Mumbai North West, and various communications.
The matter below is self explanatory.
Despite and inspite of repeated requests and representations to the appropriate authorities, there is no respite or relief to the residents.
This is in reference to the various orders by the Supreme Court on the matter of illegal hawkers, as mentioned below, in particular, the orders of the Supreme Court, excerpted here
2. The Municipal Corporation
accepts the suggestion of Citispace and agrees with the directions given in para 14(15) of the judgment dated 9.12.2003 to be substituted by the following:-
"Complaints in respect of hawkers, encroachers and unauthorised parkings by shop owners shall be
brought to the notice of the concerned Ward Officer who is an Assistant Municipal Commissioner (AMC). The Ward Officer concerned shall take immediate steps to respond to the complaint and remove the hawker, encroacher and unauthorised parkings by shop owners where he if found to be in a non-hawking
zone/area. In case the Ward Officer takes no action, a written complaint may be filed by the citizen to his immediate superior, the Deputy Municipal Commissioner (DMC) of the zone. The DMC shall look into the complaint And if found correct he will with the help of the police remove the hawkers,
encroachers and unauthorised parkings by shop owners. The Officer-in-Charge of the police station concerned is directed to give prompt and immediate assistance to the DMC. In the event of the DMC findings the complaint to be correct, he shall so record an adverse remark in respect of the
failure of the Ward Officer to perform his duty will be entered in the Confidential Report of the Ward Officer concerned. If more than 3 such entries are found in the record of an officer, it would be a ground for withholding promotion. If more than 6 such entries are found in the record of an officer, it shall
be a ground for termination of service."
It is in any case, obligatory, mandatory, statutory and now, compulsory by Supreme Court order, as below, to keep unauthorised and illegal hawkers away.
You are kindly advised to follow the Supreme Court order as below to the letter and spirit.
Thanqx.
Jagdeep DESAI
Secretary
Founder Trustee
Forum for Improving Quality of Life in Mumbai Suburbs
www.forum4iqolms.org
>>>
On Tue, Dec 28, 2010 at 1:45 PM, Jagdeep DESAI <[email protected]> wrote:
2010 DEC 28
Shri R PAWAR
Assistant Municipal Comissioner
K West Ward
MCGM
Mumbai Police
Mumbai Traffic Police
Copies to
DMC
K West Ward
MCGM
AMC
Western Suburbs
MC
MCGM
DCP
Mumbai Police
JCP
Mumbai Traffic Police
Dear Sirs,
This is in reference to the various orders by the Supreme Court on the matter of illegal hawkers, as mentioned below.
This is also in reference to this report
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/BMC-cracks-down-on-illegal-hawkers-collects-6-L-fine/articleshow/7175810.cms
It is very strange that instead of an objective of keeping Mumbais' carriageways, foot paths and other public spaces free from unauthorised and illegal hawkers, MCGM only thinks of collection of revenue.
In other words, these hawkers will be allowed to continue occupying spaces, so long as MCGM revenue is not affected, that, too, a figure of Rs.6 lakhs collected from 400 illegal hawkers is seen as some achievement.
Though from the ground situation in K West Ward, none of them would be from this area,
and in any case, 400 hawkers is not even the proverbial tip of the ice berg.
This is totally against any justice to Citizens.
And why will the drive continue only till the new year.
It is in any case, obligatory, mandatory, statutory and now, compulsory by Supreme Court order, as below, to keep unauthorised and illegal hawkers away.
You are kindly advised to follow the Supreme Court order as below to the letter and spirit.
Thanqx.
Jagdeep DESAI
Secretary
Founder Trustee
Forum for Improving Quality of Life in Mumbai Suburbs
>>>
BMC cracks down on illegal hawkers, collects 6 L fine
TNN, Dec 28, 2010, 07.27am IST
Mumbai: The BMC is cashing in on the festivities to speed up its action on unauthorized hawkers and vendors in the city. Since December 23, the civic body has taken action against more than 400 hawkers in the western and eastern suburbs. A total of Rs 6 lakh was collected from the hawkers as fine. "This was part of our ongoing drive against unauthorized hawking. We will continue to crackdown on such vendors till the New Year," said a senior civic official. According to BMC officials, most of the hawkers were selling food items cooked in unhygienic conditions that looked to be causing a risk to the health of Mumbaikars. "Most of the food was being cooked in unhygienic conditions and the fact that people tend to eat out during festive season poses a risk to the lives of lakhs of citizen," an official said.
>>>
On Fri, Dec 24, 2010 at 11:51 PM, Jagdeep DESAI <[email protected]> wrote:
2010 DEC 24
Shri R PAWAR
Assistant Municipal Comissioner
K West Ward
MCGM
Mumbai Police
Mumbai Traffic Police
Copies to
DMC
K West Ward
MCGM
AMC
Western Suburbs
MC
MCGM
DCP
Mumbai Police
JCP
Mumbai Traffic Police
Dear Sirs,
This is in reference to the various orders by the Supreme Court on the matter of illegal hawkers, in particular, the latest one as enclosed below for your ready and immediate reference.
>>>
You are also fully aware of the original orders on Non - Hawking Zones as stated in "the Restrictions and Conditions by which the hawkers will do their business laid down for Non - Hawking Zones" in the December 9, 2003 Order. They are as follows:
" [3] There should be no hawking within 100 metres from any place of worship, holy shrine, educational institutions and hospitals or within 150 metres from any municipal
or other markets or from any railway station. There should be no hawking on foot - bridges and over bridges. Further certain areas may be permitted to be kept free of hawkers for security reasons. However outside places of worship hawkers can be
permitted to sell items required by the devotees for offering to the deity or for placing in the place of worship e.g. flowers, sandalwood, candles, agarbattis, coconuts etc."
" [9] No hawking will be permitted on any street which is less than 8 metres in width. Further the hawkers also have to comply with Development Control Rules thus there can be no hawking in areas which are exclusively residential and where trading and
commercial activity is prohibited. Thus hawking cannot be permitted on roads
and pavements which do not have a shopping line;"
>>>
The latest order is not only specific, explicit, but clear and non ambiguous, that illegal hawkers have no opportunity to have any stay on their activities until the new hawking policy may be finalised.
Effective and permanent action has to be taken as per the latest orders, which you are well aware.
You are therefore kindly advised to take immediate action on the same in K Ward, at the following places, inclusive, but not exhaustive
01 In and around Andheri Station area, and on the foot over bridges connecting West and East, on the roads immediately outside, S V Road, which are all within 150 metres of the station, etc
02 In and around Vile Parle Station area, and on the foot over bridges connecting West and East, on the roads imediately outside, S V Road, which are all within 150 metres of the station, etc
In any case, you are aware, entire Vile Parle West is a declared non hawking zone
03 Junction of MM Chowk, SV Raod, Lallubhai Road, illegal food stalls, and others, occupy the corners, dirty the place, wash utensils on the road, etc.
04 Illegal food and other stalls near and around NMMIS, Mithibai, Bhaidas, etc., Juhu shopping complex on VL MEHTA Road
05 Illegal stalls on both sides of SV Road and footpath from Gokhale Bridge towards South and Amboli naka towards North
06 Illegal stalls on both sides of Church Road, Seven Bungalows
07 Illegal stalls, and illegal shop extensions on Irla Road, of hawkers and shops
08 Illegal food and other stalls on DJ Marg, Vile Parle, and in various inner roads of Vile Parle West such as BP Vashi Road, etc
09 Illegal food and other stalls on both sides of SV Road and Link Road, towards Jogeshwari and northern limit of K West, etc
All the above, apart from the illegality, cause great traffic obstacles, health hazards, garbage nuisance, etc
Your office is called upon to immediately and effectively, and permanently, clear the said encroachments and etc., from the above areas, apart from the numbers of all other places not mentioned, where such illegal hawkers are proliferating.
The area below, near and around Gokhale flyover bridge, is in filthy, dirty, dark, unhygienic condition since years.
Superficial assurances have been given by your office to specific representations by LAPARA ALM, and others, highlighted in the media also any number of times, but this place remains in abysmal condition.
Kindly clean the place immediately.
Kindly also relocate the solid waste, garbage Clean Up ! chowkie, located on South West end of railway platform, which creates foul smell, due to collection of MCGM garbage compactors and MCGM dumpers, affecting thousands of residents and passengers going to and returning from Andheri West station.
This also creates totally unacceptable traffic jams, and endagers pedestrians due to haphazrd movement of such vehicles.
Also, huge numbers unauthorised water tankers are randomly and illegally parked near there due to two MCGM valves allowed for MCGM water tankers.
All this creates innumerable problems for all residents and passengers, pedestrians, etc., not to mention that it give an impression that K West is under drought conditions even after a very good Monsoon season 2010.
Kindly relocate this filling point.
You kind attention is also drawn to the sweeping, cleaning, collection, of solid waste in Ward K West area which is not being done effectively, nor efficiently.
The same should be done with proper vigour and especially after mid night, to take care of the enormous litter generated by padyatris going to Shri Siddhi Vinayak who do not care about the environment nor the simple credo
Svachchtha Hee Vidhaatha Hai
- Aur Jo Nahin Samajhtha
- Tho Padhe Likhe Phir Bhi Anadi
- Bahar Se Aayaa Ek Khiladi
- Clean Up Our Land
Your immediate and positive action in this will be appreciated.
Thanqx.
Jagdeep DESAIhttp://www.karmayog.com/garbagecomplaint/garbagecomplaints.htm
Sources pointed out that for the past four years, political party workers have been bringing around 200 unauthorized hawkers to Kharie village during Ramzan.
These hawkers come from areas like Bandra (east), Jogeshwari, Mumbra and Bhayander (east) and set up shop on narrow roads till 2 am. They have been a major nuisance to the residents, said the source.
A delegation of residents had met police commissioner Arup Patnaik, who issued orders barring illegal hawkers from the area.
However, residents say cops ignored his orders. "These hawkers stay on till 2 am. This happens from the 15th day of fast during Ramzan. I don't blame the politicians.
The police because they are not doing their duty. There seems to be some understanding between the cops and politicians to set up such encroachment during Ramzan festival," said Aftab Siddique, chairperson of the 33rd Road ALM.
Vishwas Nagre-Patil, additional commissioner of police, west region, said, "We removed the unauthorized hawkers from Kharie village on Tuesday. We are taking action with the BMC to control this menace. We have not succumbed to political pressure at all, so there's no questioning of listening to politicians," said Patil.
On a normal day it would take not less than 10-15 minutes to walk from the east side to the west of the half a kilometer long Dadar foot over bridge. But on Saturday and Sunday it hardly took five minutes or even less than that for the commuters and residents to complete their journey. The residents claim, generally the bridge is filled with more than 70 odd hawkers at any given time of the day. But because of the Mahaparinirvan Diwas, the death anniversary of Dr B R Ambedkar, the hawkers are nowhere to be seen on the foot over.According to residents the BMC officials responsible for the bridge asked the hawkers to stay away for the two days. The residents claim if the BMC can manage to keep the bridge hawker free for two days, then they can do it for the rest 363 days of the year, said Arun Sapkal The BMC officials and the hawkers are all hand in gloves, if the BMC wants they can keep away the hawkers away. But they get big moolah and hence do not want to take any action, said a resident.Arun Sapkal a social activist from Dadar claims, that the hawkers are a nuisance and on many occasions indulge in illegal activities like eve teasing. Nearly four months ago there was a stabbing case on the foot over bridge. The hawkers shout yell and quarrel, after the sun sets walking on the bridge is a pain. They occupy more than half of the bridge and leave hardly any space for the commuters to walk. The BMC is inefficient to take any strong action against the hawkers, said Sapkal. Defending his side Sudhir Naik, Deputy municipal commissioner, said, On a regular basis we do take action, our anti encroachment squad goes to the bridge everyday but the hawkers run on the station. Which doesnt fall in our jurisdiction instead is under the GRP. The BMC also takes the help of the city police for the same.However, the GRP denies that the hawkers ever come inside the station. There are three bridges in our jurisdiction and they all are hawker free. The foot over bridge belongs to the BMC and we can do nothing over there, said Shivaji Shinde, senior police inspector, Dadar GRP. On an average nearly 10 lakh commuters and residents of Dadar use this bridge to commute. According to a commuter at least for the two days, they can walk smoothly on the bridge.
Kunal Gala (25) runs a garment shop in Dadar west, I took the bridge on Saturday and was surprised to see that there was not even a single hawker on it. Later , I realized that there was pressure from the corporation on them to keep them away. The bridge looked spacious and I reached my shop early. The BMC should see to it that the bridge remains hawker free everyday.
Varadraj Bhat (35) and accountant works in Dadar said, I do not take that bridge too often instead prefer to take the railway bridge, because of the hawker menace on the bridge. If the BMC has managed to keep the bridge free of hawkers for two days, they should work towards keeping it free for all the
days of the year. This will make our lives easy.