Matunga Flower Market: Hawkers Resume Business Despite BMC Demolition Drive | Photo Credits: Vijay Gohil
Mumbai: The stalls at the Matunga flower market have resumed business despite BMC notices, continuing to use an illegal water connection. Earlier this month, stall owners defied the BMC’s demolition drive by reopening within hours.
On March 6, the BMC’s F-North ward bulldozed 52 hawkers on Bhandarkar Road and Telang Road, outside Matunga Central Railway station. As the hawkers returned the same day, the civic demolition squad, along with the police force, returned the next morning.
The hawkers, however, physically prevented them by squatting in front of the bulldozer. They were even supported by the BJP MLA Tamil Selvan, who had reached the spot. The hawkers got the upper hand.
The assistant municipal commissioner of F-North ward, Nitin Shukla, said, “We are going to take an eviction drive against the unauthorised hawkers and those not complying with norms. We are preparing an inspection report, and fresh notices will be issued. On Friday, we took action in Priyadarshani, and soon action will be taken on Bhandarkar Road as well.” Shukla refused to respond to MLA Tamil Selvan’s support for flower stall owners.
Matunga Flower Market: Hawkers Resume Business Despite BMC Demolition Drive | Photo Credits: Vijay Gohil
Earlier, Selvan told the FPJ that he had written to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis’ office that the demolition of licensed hawkers in the Matunga flower market was unjust.
Notably, the stalls at the flower market have existed for decades, and many of them are licence holders. However, as years passed, several illegal hawkers started their stalls, and the authorised hawkers expanded their stalls, thus occupying the footpath near Matunga Post Office completely. An officer from the F-North ward told the FPJ on condition of anonymity that the hawkers have illegally taken a water connection, which they use to spray on flowers to stay fresh.
Local activist Chetan Trivedi said, “It is only because of the strong support of MLA Selvan that the hawkers have the confidence to ignore BMC notices and actions. After the demolition drive, they had returned to their spots within hours. No one is questioning why Tamil Selvan is fighting for flower stalls and also reached the spot during the demolition drive when it is not his jurisdiction. The area falls under the jurisdiction of MLA Kalidas Kolamkar. The only change after the demolition drive is that the upper floors of the stalls are shut.”
Another resident, Vaibhav K, said, “The hawkers used to not create obstructions earlier. However, as they started expanding their stalls, especially towards the road, it created inconvenience. I wonder why the ward office did not take action for these many years. It is possible that the private builders, whose projects are coming up on the same road, must have pressurised the BMC to evict the stalls.”
