BMC To Fast-Track Mumbai Hawker Disputes With Judicial Grievance Panel As Town Vending Committee Set To Roll Out

Mumbai: To fast-track the resolution of complaints and disputes involving street vendors, the BMC has proposed constituting a three-member Grievance Redressal and Dispute Resolution Committee headed by a serving or retired City Civil Court judge. The panel will have a five-year tenure, while the long-awaited Town Vending Committee (TVC) is expected to be constituted within a week, civic officials said.

Also Watch:

Having completed the issuance of QR code-based identity cards to nearly 48,000 eligible hawkers, the BMC is moving to establish the institutional framework for implementing the Street Vendors Act. While the TVC will allocate authorised vending spaces, a three-member grievance panel will adjudicate disputes relating to licences, vending locations and penalties. The civic body recently issued a public advertisement inviting applications for the committee.

The proposed committee will be headed by a serving or retired City Civil Court judge and comprise two expert members. Applicants must be 35-65 years old, hold a recognised university degree, have served at the level of Additional Secretary or an equivalent post in the government or a local self-government body, and possess at least 10 years' experience in social work or street vendor-related matters.

Meanwhile, the BMC's long-pending verification drive has revealed that 3,167 authorised hawkers identified in the 2014 survey have died. The civic body is now considering a policy to transfer their vending licences to eligible legal heirs while creating a verified database of authorised vendors and stepping up action against illegal hawking across the city. 

Launched in May, the BMC's QR code-enabled identity card drive requires all 99,345 hawkers declared eligible in the 2014 survey to report to their respective ward offices for credential verification before the cards are issued.

To get details on exclusive and budget-friendly property deals in Mumbai & surrounding regions, do visit: https://budgetproperties.in/