Gymkhana hurdle for hawking zone

The civic body’s plan to shift about 38 hawkers from Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (CST) to the existing market at MG Road (aka Fashion Street) is stuck in the limbo owing to its tussle with the Bombay Gymkhana that stands to lose its precious parking space. The Gymkhana has opposed the proposal so far.

The BMC wanted to shift the hawkers from the station as part of its cleanliness drive, as CST has been identified as one of the 100 iconic places in the country under the Swachch Bharat Mission. Besides, CST is also a United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (Unesco).

The BMC's plan to clean up the iconic CST had been delayed by over a month as the Union water and sanitation ministry had announced the proposal in July itself.

A senior civic official said, “We are planning to shift the licenced hawkers who line up just outside the main entrance of the CST, along the St George Hospital lane. These are mostly eateries, and we have planned to shift them to MG Road and DN Road pavements. However, this decision cannot be executed owing to opposition from the gymkhana.”

However, Darius Udwadia, president of the Bombay gymkhana, said, “Hawkers cannot be shifted to the footpath abutting the gymkhana on the MG Road, as they are not allowed to set up stalls on both the footpaths of a particular road.

The parking permission given to the gymkhana since 1997 for use of this plot expired in July this year. The civic official said members of the gymkhana are no longer authorised to use the space for parking. The civic official said the decision will now be taken after Municipal Commissioner Ajoy Mehta conducts a spot visit. The hawkers will be given notices to relocate after the proposal is approved by the municipal commissioner.

The gymkhana is also stuck in a longstanding battle with the BMC, as it plans to widen Hazarimal Somani Road, which runs adjacent to the gymkhana and leads straight to the CST. This will mean the gymkhana will lose upto 3,000 square metres of its land.