Only newspaper vendors can sell outside Mumbai railway stations

You can continue to buy your favourite newspaper from the vendor at the station, but nothing else. In the wake of the September 29 Elphinstone Road stampede which claimed 23 lives, the BMC had joined hands with railway authorities to launch a massive drive to free all station premises and bridges in the city of hawkers and encroachers. Even as the crackdown on illegal vendors continues, newspaper vendors got a reprieve thanks to the intervention of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

Two delegations of a newspaper vendors' union met the CM over the last two days to put forth their pleas. representational pictures

On Monday, state BJP chief Ashish Shelar, along with key members of the newspaper vendors' union, including Sanjay Chaukekar and Rajan Pendulkar, called on Fadnavis to highlight the plight of newspaper vendors at railway stations, especially at Mulund, Kurla, Bandra, Borivli, Santacruz and Vile Parle. Later, some other members of the union, led by Madhusudan Sadadekar, visited the CM to request him to spare newspaper vendors from civic action.

Soon after, the CM intervened and the civic body issued a letter to all 24 ward officers in the city urging them to refrain from dislodging or removing newspaper vendors at station premises.

Two delegations of a newspaper vendors' union met the CM over the last two days to put forth their pleas. representational pictures

The BMC letter reads, "There have been complaints that while taking action against illegal hawkers around station premises, newspaper vendors have also been inconvenienced. Thus, all assistant municipal commissioners and senior inspectors (encroachment) are directed not to take any sort of demolition action against licensed as well casual newspaper vendors, as they do not cause any problem to the public. The directions are to be followed by all ward officials and inspectors."

Two delegations of a newspaper vendors' union met the CM over the last two days to put forth their pleas. representational pictures

Confirming the news, a civic official said, "Indeed, the CM has urged the BMC to ensure newspaper vendors are not removed from near station premises. But, our drive against all other hawkers and illegal vendors dotting station areas and bridges will continue."

Incidentally, mid-day reported on October 17 that implementation of the much-required hawkers' policy might be delayed by a year.