Mumbai: Hawkers outside Dadar station to stay till Diwali

Many hawkers’ goods were destroyed during the civic and police action on Tuesday. File Pic/Ashish Raje

After they agitated against the civic body's anti-encroachment drive outside the Dadar railway station on Tuesday evening, it has been decided that the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) won't act against hawkers till the end of Diwali.

In response to repeated complaints against hawkers near Dadar railway station, the BMC and police took action at the Ranade Marg and Javale Marg in Dadar West on Tuesday. With Diwali just days away, this is the peak season for hawkers. However, many saw their goods destroyed during the civic body's anti-encroachment drive. Upset hawkers protested against the civic and police action in front of Dadar railway station from around 4.30 pm to 7.30 pm on Tuesday.

Guardian Minister of the city, Deepak Kesarkar, said that he had instructed the police and the municipal commissioner to allow hawkers to conduct business as usual till Diwali. "The decision was taken sympathetically but they do not have any right to encroach on public space. They have to vacate the space by Bhai Dooj. If this order is not followed, the BMC will take action against them," said Kesarkar.

According to the hawkers, any civic and police action should have come a month before Diwali. "That way, we would not have invested in goods to sell during Diwali. The losses we would incur if we are removed now would have been completely absent," a hawker told mid-day.