Illegal vendors hide inside magistrate’s court after it shuts for the day to evade BMC action at Ground Zero of hawkers-vs-citizens battle
Hawkers taking refuge inside court premises. Pics/Anurag Ahire
An investigation conducted by mid-day on Tuesday has uncovered a runaway tactic employed by hawkers operating in Court Lane, also famously known as Borivli Bhaji Market Gully, to evade action by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and local police authorities.
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Some of these hawkers, stationed primarily towards the western end of Bhaji Market Gully near the Borivli Metropolitan Magistrate Court, have been observed taking refuge within the court premises whenever anti-encroachment operations are initiated after court hours.
Hawkers store their goods just behind the court entry wall
The investigation revealed that some illegal hawkers, during evening actions by the BMC and police, quickly gather their wares and run to the court premises as soon as BMC vehicles or police officials approach the area.
Once the authorities leave, they return to the market and resume their activities. This cat-and-mouse game has become a recurring phenomenon, significantly hampering the effectiveness of anti-encroachment drives.
A lawyer present within the court premises, when hawkers ran to the court premises, said, “After court hours, whenever the BMC and police start taking action, some of these hawkers enter the court premises along with their goods for security and then return to the road once the authorities leave.”
A BMC vehicle stationed at Bhaji Market Gully
The lawyer added, “These hawkers usually store their goods just behind the court entry wall to avoid being noticed by the authorities.” When asked about the location of the stored goods, the lawyer showed the spot. mid-day photographed the goods stored near the court entrance wall during an anti-encroachment operation by the BMC and police.
Resident Speak
“It is unfair that while the authorities are trying to clear the area for pedestrian movement and traffic flow, these hawkers exploit the court premises as a shield against legal action,” a resident said.
BMC vehicle stationed at Bhaji Market Gully. Pic/Anurag Ahire
BMC Speaks
Sandhya Nandedkar, assistant municipal commissioner, R-Central Ward, said, “It seems that when we start taking action, the hawkers further ahead run to the court premises and go unnoticed by our officials. I will be informing my officers about this so that during future operations, the court premises are also checked, and action is taken against hawkers hiding there.”
Police Speak
Anand Bhoite, DCP (zone 11), said, “Now that this runaway tactic has been brought to our notice, we will ensure action is taken against hawkers taking refuge in court premises during operations. Steps will be taken to ensure they do not return and set up their stalls on the roads after the officials leave the spot.”
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