When Will RRT Road become free from Hawkers’ Menace? Mulundkars Protest!!
The hawkers’ menace on RRT Road in Mulund West has become such a gigantic problem, that there is literally ‘No Space’ left for the pedestrians to walk and ‘No Room’ for the motorists to move!! There are utter chaos and commotion. Hence, angry Mulundkars are asking: When Will RRT Road become free from the hawkers’ menace?
Mulundkars complain that the footpaths on both sides of the road have been seized by illegal hawkers. As a result, pedestrians are forced to risk their lives and walk on the main road! Secondly, motorists grumble that they cannot move as the roads are blocked due to haphazard and illegally parking. Since RRT Road is close to the railway station, there is a huge mess of traffic jam leading to chaos and turmoil.
Kailash, a shop owner, lamenting the commotion at RRT Road, told Home Times, “Due to no check on the hawkers’ encroachment by BMC T-Ward officials, hence hawkers are thriving on RRT road in abundance. Almost both sides of the footpaths are captured by hawkers while the remaining part of the road is encroached upon by illegal parking. Hence, there is no space for people to walk. Also, since people illegally park their vehicles in front of the shops, customers are unable to enter our shops and this has ruined our business sharply.”
Rise in pollution due to the huge crowd on the road
Residents complain that due to the huge crowd of people and vehicles at RRT Road, the atmosphere here is polluted and people have difficulty in breathing. The toxic gases emanating from the vehicles, hot smoke emitting from the food stalls making Pav Bhaji and other snacks and the intense rush of people have made RRT Road the most polluted road in Mulund. Due to the polluted air, there is a threat of the spread of diseases like a cough, burning of eyes, allergy, asthma, etc. In fact, according to a recent investigation, germs emitted from polluted air can even cause deadly diseases like cancer and heart attack!!!
Nearby resident sick of sound pollution
Besides air pollution, RRT Road is also marred by sound pollution. People living in the surrounding buildings complain that loud huge honking sound of vehicles and the hawkers yelling aloud to attract customers have made their life hell.
RRT Road is prone to accidents
And, last but not the least, RRT Road is prone to accidents as there is so much crowd and so little space for the vehicles to move. Hence, many times auto drivers or bikers run over the pedestrians. Residents claim all the chaos and turmoil is due to the apathy and laxity of the BMC T-Ward officials who are aware of the people’s woes but are callous about the problems of the aam aadmi.
Food stalls on footpaths boldly using gas cylinders
Despite the Bombay High Court order prohibiting the use of gas cylinders on the footpaths, Mulund’s food stall hawkers are boldly violating the High Court’s order and making food using gas cylinders. Expressing concern over the use of gas cylinders, Pratik Shah, a Mulund resident, told Home Times, “It is tragic that despite the Bombay High Court order not to allow any gas cylinder being used on streets in crowded places, hawkers at RRT Road defy the High Court’s order. Surprisingly, more than half the food stall hawkers are daringly using gas cylinders and risking the lives of Mulundkars!!!” He added, ” It is the duty of BMC officials to crack a whip on such hawkers using gas cylinders because in case of a blast it could cause havoc on pedestrians. Unfortunately, T-Ward officials are in deep slumber and may awaken only if an accident occurs!”
Shah warned, “T-Ward should act immediately and drive away all food stall hawkers using gas cylinders. Just taking action on paper will not solve the grave problem. Secondly, it is high time BMC makes its Town Vending Committee thereby making hawking safe and legal.”
