Mumbai: After the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) began marking hawking zones from Borivali earlier this week, the civic body on Friday approved more than 10,000 hawking pitches across the city. These areas are in Borivali, Kurla, Chembur, Dahisar and Malad, and these hawking pitches will be allotted through a lottery system. The town vending committee (TVC) approved the hawking pitches which are 1×1 sqmetre in size and had received approval from the zonal TVC in September. The pitches will now be allotted to hawkers.
The civic body formed the TVC in accordance with the Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending Act. One of the representatives from hawkers’ union on TVC, said, “We have opposed the pitches put forth by BMC. We have demanded that hawkers be provided with pitches at their existing places.” There was also a discussion on whether newspaper vendors, milk stalls and other such shops should be allowed within the radius of 150 metres from the railway station. However, no decision was taken.
Civic officials believe licensing and regulating the Aarey milk stalls will help authorities in regularisation. The proposal regarding the same will be sent to the state government. According to the law, the town panel must survey street vendors, issue them vending certificates, and decide on their relocation. BMC has also constituted seven zonal vending panels for better coordination. It comprises of representatives of NGOs, experts, civic officials and eight members of hawker unions.