Rlys, BMC must act together against hawkers, directs court

MUMBAI: The Bombay High Court on Thursday directed the Railways and the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to jointly act against the hawkers, who are still found selling their ware on railway premises. The court has asked the authorities to refrain from blame-games and instead, work together.

A division bench of Justices Naresh Patil and Girish Kulkarni was informed that despite a detailed judgement of the HC, hawkers continued to conduct their business, without any hindrance, on railway premises.

Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Anil Singh submitted that railway officials have time and again acted against the hawkers, however, they return to the premises. He said the BMC is the concerned authority to act against these hawkers, but still one can see hawkers on foot overbridges (FOBs), platforms and on the staircases of almost every railway station.

To this, the BMC counsel replied that whenever the civic officials enter the railway premises to act against the hawkers, the railway officials obstruct their work.

“The authorities must work together in coordination instead of blaming each other like this. Henceforth, the BMC and railways will together ensure not a single hawker is seen hawking on railway premises,” Justice Patil said.

“Also, let the authorities make the concerned assistant municipal commissioners of each ward, answerable, over the issue of hawking on the railway stations in their jurisdiction,” Justice Patil added.

The matter will be heard after three weeks.