Survey pans Fadnavis’ plans for market

Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis’ pet project — Mumbai Haat — to be held at the Metro Cinema subway could face a hurdle from the Shiv Sena. Just when the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) was in the process of giving a nod to the project, a survey carried out by a corporator nominated by the Shiv Sena has given a thumbs-down to the concept of setting up a market in the subway.

The survey says that 98 per cent of Mumbaikars do not want Mumbai Haat at the Metro Cinema subway in Dhobi Talao. In fact, they do not want any hawking or commercial activities in the subway, said the survey, which included 2,000 residents and was carried out by Shiv Sena corporator Avkash Jadhav from August 30 to September 6.

Three months ago, Mr Fadnavis had given the approval for the setting up of Mumbai Haat — meant exclusively for marketing products made by women self-help groups — at the Metro Cinema subway. The decision was taken to provide these groups — also called ‘Bachat Gat’ — a market where their products could be put up for sale and they could get better remuneration.

Mr Jadhav, who carried out the survey with the help of local youths, claimed that almost 98 per cent of the respondents felt that a subway should only be used for the purpose of walking and not for any kind of commercial activities. Nearly 97 per cent of the people said that there should be no market in the Metro subway, while as many as 84 per cent felt that the subway might not be safe with hawkers around.

Mr Jadhav said: “The overall results of the survey reflect that people do not want the Metro Cinema subway to be encroached upon by hawkers. It is a clear mandate that the subway should not be used for the state government to arbitrarily place markets there.”

Yuva Sena chief Aditya Thackeray had also planned to set up an arts gallery at the Metro subway. But the project has been put on the backburner due to the CM’s endorsement for Mumbai Haat.