Mumbai: High Court to decide fate of CST, Churchgate hawkers

The hawkers occupying the CST subway and Churchgate station can breathe easy, for now. The Bombay High court has reserved its judgment on the appeal made against the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) for its order where it had asked the hawkers to vacate the premises within a month.

The appeal made by the association of the hawkers and represented by Anil Anturkar and Kalyani Tulankar, points out that the civic body had not followed the proper procedure under 105 B of BMC Act (Power to evict person), but the BMC contested that claim saying that since the land they are in is theirs, they are not entitled to serve a notice or follow a procedure.

For beautifying CST
The civic body cited beautification of that area as the reason behind such a step. Anil Sakhre, BMC's counsel pointed out that if the hawkers leave the spot, 18 feet will be added to the existing road. He further said that BMC would use the area for putting up information.

"We will be putting up sheds on the footpaths from Bombay Gymkhana to CST station. Information about weather, railway time table and several informative messages will be displayed as part of the CST modification plan of the
BMC," said Sakhare, adding that the agreements of the hawkers have ended way back in 2011 but still they were allowed to do business.

The bench of justices Ranjit More and Justice Anuja Prabhudesai has kept the matter for final orders.

48
Number of shops in CST subway