ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!! Shopkeepers Welfare Association Demands Action Against Illegal Hawkers
The hawkers’ menace at RRT road in Mulund West is a common annoyance. Besides pedestrians, even the shopkeepers on the road are fed up of the hawkers as they occupy both sides of the road. In addition, many illegal hawkers have encroached upon the footpaths, thus grabbing the frontal space of the shops on the road and posing hurdles in their business.
Hence, frustrated by the hawkers’ nuisance the Shopkeepers Welfare Association submitted a complaint letter to the BMC T-Ward Encroachment Department regarding harassment by hawkers due to their illegal encroachment in front of their shops. A member of the Shopkeepers Welfare Association told Home Times, “We pay huge rents, taxes and invest money to attract customers to our shops. However, these hawkers do business in front of our shops. This not only creates an obstacle for our customers to enter our shops but also kills our business.”
The Shopkeepers Welfare Association members were angry as BMC T-Ward Assistant Commissioner, Kishore Gandhi, was not available and they had to wait half an hour to meet him. Later, the Shopkeepers Welfare Association met Ravindra Shinde, a senior officer of the Encroachment Department.
Prakash Bhanusali, a Shop-keepers Welfare Association member, narrated their ordeal to Ravindra Shinde. He accused the hawkers of covering the entire stretch of the front space of their shops. The horde of hawkers is so much that many times the shopkeeper’s signboard is covered, and customers get lost and the shopkeepers lose business. The hawkers’ menace has reached such heights that it has become impossible to do business. He urged that if BMC does not take a stern action then many shopkeepers would have to shut their businesses.
The Shopkeepers Welfare Association handed over a complaint letter and demanded quick action. Ravindra Shinde assured the Shopkeepers Welfare Association of urgent action against the hawkers.
Besides harassment to shopkeepers and pedestrians, the hawkers are also responsible for the traffic jam at RRT Road. The citizens, however, argue despite the marking of the pitches why BMC doesn’t allot suitable space to hawkers and eliminate illegal hawkers for all times??
