Hawkers on footpaths elbow out walkers in Pune Cantonment

PUNE: Mahatma Gandhi Road, one of the most popular streets in the city, was declared as no-hawking zone by the Pune Cantonment Board (PCB) after the rehabilitation of hawkers in the Fashion Street market in 1998 and the pavements became free for pedestrians. After 24 years, illegal hawkers are back doing business at the same place forcing pedestrians to walk on the road.
The same story about uneven pavements, broken tiles, encroachments by hawkers, shop and stall owners in places like Chhatrapati Shivaji Market, Blundell Road, Saldhana Street, Dwayer Lane, Centre Street, R S Kedari Road, Solapur Bazar, Wanowrie Bazaar and other places in the cantonment limits plays out.

Cantonment residents want the Pune Cantonment Board to take stringent measures against encroachments and improve the quality of life. Sportsman Shyam Sahni said that four decades ago, PCB officials used to walk on the pavements and check encroachment and take action. The fire brigade used to clean pavements.
“Those days have gone. Now, officials are not interested in anti-encroachment drives. There is no communication between them and the residents for resolving problems. Pedestrians cannot walk on pavements because of the hawkers’ menace. The situation worsens on weekends,” he said.
PCB chief executive officer Subrat Pal said temporary hawkers have encroached on pavements in various parts of Pune Camp.
“We have recently taken action against them on 3-4 occasions at places like MG Road, East Street, Solapur Bazaar and Wanowrie Bazaar. Their wares were confiscated and we took affidavits to discourage them from doing business in the same place. Police have also started taking action against them. We have passed a resolution authorising our staff to take action against hawkers/encroachers after office hours, after 5pm,” he said. Encroachments at Chhatrapati Shivaji Market will be discussed in the next general body meeting, he said.
Activist Akbar Khan said the pavements and roads round Chhatrapati Shivaji Market have become narrow because of the hawkers' menace. “There is no place to walk or park. Since the PCB has failed to act against encroachers, we want intervention from the central government. We are not living in a good environment because the place is filthy,” he added.
Misuse of open space
Rupesh Dake, president of R S Kedari Road shop owners association said some people at Hazrat Babajan Chowk and Centre Street have illegally rented out the open space outside their shops to hawkers for doing business on pavements. Mandals have also put up handcarts and stalls on the pavements, he added.
“The Cantonment police at times took action against the encroachers, but the PCB is silent about acting against them. Hawkers get a tip-off well in advance and they clear out before their wares are confiscated. Illegal activities have mushroomed in Camp area because of political patronage. Pavements can become pedestrian-friendly if strict action is taken against the encroachers,” Dake added.