Linking Road at Bandra shopping hub under closure cloud

Mumbai: Licensed stall owners on the shopping hub of Linking Road at Bandra are running from pillar to post after the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) did not renew their licences for the year 2017.

The stall owners have complained that the civic body, while not renewing the licences, offered no explanation despite requests. Some of the affected stall-owners claimed to having done business at their spot with civic permission for the last “40-45 years.”  The affected persons have approached several authorities but to no avail.

According to Amin Surya, member of the Linking Road Stall Owners Association (LRSOA), the BMC refused to renew their annual licence when they approached it in December last year. The BMC has offered to relocate the stall-owners at an adjacent traffic island. But the stall owners, whose units are currently located along the boundary walls of the Patwardhan Park, instead gave a counter-suggestion. “We suggested that the park’s boundary walls could be pushed back further to make space for us,” said Mr Surya.

“We had a meeting with the H-West ward officer and licence department regarding the ‘Not To Renew’ (NTR) (licence) remark issued by them. However, as an activist was representing us the ward officer stormed out of the meeting and nothing came of it,” said Mr Surya.

When asked about the issue, Sharad Ughade, BMC ward officer, said, “We are trying to accommodate the stall owners and are trying to work out the best possible option for them. Rather than taking the help of anyone, if the stall owners meet us directly then the issue can be resolved amicably.” Mr Ughade said, “We are contemplating on the alternate arrangements to relocate them in the vicinity of their existing stalls. The licences will be renewed after they are relocated.”  

Activist Aftab Siddiqui said, “The move to relocate the stall owners will render nearly 550 families that depend on the stalls without a source of income.”