Kopar Khairane turns illegal hawkers’ zone

EVERY NOOK AND CORNER OF THE NODE HAS BEEN OCCUPIED BY VENDORS

KOPAR KHAIRANE: Delay in implementation of hawkers’ policy has led to rise in number of hawkers in Kopar Khairane.

They have encroached footpaths, roads and major junctions causing severe inconvenience to commuters and motorists.

The NMMC ward office in Kopar Khairane seems to have lost interest in conducting eviction drive against illegal street hawkers.

Commuters have to spend 20 minutes travelling to RF Naik Chowk from Teen Tanki Road due to encroachments on roads. The stretch of road hardly takes seven minutes to cover if it is free from hawkers.

Kailash Shinde, a local resident, said: “Hawkers are all over the node. The marginal space on the premises of shops has also been occupied by hawkers selling sandwich, garland, tea, pani puri and other eatables,”

“The vendors pay rent ranging from Rs2,000 to Rs15,000 a month to shop owners for putting up stalls on their marginal spaces,” added Shinde.

Though Cidco has reserved plots for hawkers in every node, vendors have not been allocated the plot as the hawkers’ policy is yet to be implemented.

Every nook and corner of the node has been occupied by vendors. Some of these stalls secretly sell liquor posing threat to safety and security of women.

Few days ago, some youth had demanded bribe from hawkers in Bonkode.

Vendors complained against them to police Acting on the com plaint, police arrested the youth.

NMMC ward officer of Kopar Khairane Bal Krishna Patil said: “There has been a steep rise in hawkers in the node. Due to some technical hurdles, action has not been taken against the vendors. The issue will be resolved soon and action will be taken against illegal hawkers.”

An NMMC source said: “The NMMC had appointed a contractor to provide vehicles, labours and security guards during anti-encroachment drive against hawkers. A few months ago, the contractor has stopped providing material to the NMMC as he had not been paid ”