Bombay HC To Colaba Hawkers' Union: Remove 173 Illegal Vendors Or Face Court Orders By March 31
The Bombay High Court on Wednesday asked Colaba Causeway Tourism Hawkers Stall Union whether it would vacate over 173 unlicensed hawkers, who are its members, or should the court pass the orders to the effect.

Colaba Causeway | File Pic
Mumbai: The Bombay High Court on Wednesday asked Colaba Causeway Tourism Hawkers Stall Union whether it would vacate over 173 unlicensed hawkers, who are its members, or should the court pass the orders to the effect.
A bench of Justices Ajey Gadkari and Kamal Khata asked the Union after being informed by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) that of the 253 members of the Union, only 83 are legal.
The HC initially ordered the immediate removal of unlicensed hawkers but later granted the Union time until March 31 to comply, following a request from their counsel, Ankit Lohia. The Union must inform the court by March 31 whether it will remove illegal hawkers or submit to judicial orders. If they fail to vacate, the court’s eviction order will be enforced.
The Union had approached the HC seeking enforcement of the Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act, 2014, arguing that all 253 members had the right to hawk along Colaba Causeway, a 1.5-km commercial stretch frequented by tourists and shoppers.
However, the HC dismissed the plea, prompting the Union to challenge the decision in the Supreme Court (SC). The apex court reinstated the case and directed the HC to verify the hawkers’ legal status.
The petition was opposed by the Clean Heritage Colaba Residential Association (CHCRA), represented by advocate Prerak Chaudhary, who argued that hawkers were operating illegally and violating zoning regulations.
Citing a 2014 BMC survey, the residents claimed that only 79 vendors were found eligible to hawk on Shahid Bhagat Singh Road (Colaba Causeway), and just 19 were permitted in designated bylanes, including Regal Cinema, Henry Road, Mandlik Road, Walton Road, and Maha Kavi Bhushan Road.
The association alleged that hawkers were operating in “no-hawking zones”, obstructing pedestrians, violating space restrictions, and subletting stalls. Further, many were hawking beyond permitted hours, encroaching on public spaces, and failing to meet food safety and hygiene regulations.
The residents contended that these violations infringe upon their right to a clean and safe environment under Article 21 of the Constitution and urged the court to ensure that public spaces remain accessible and unobstructed.
On January 27, the SC had granted a temporary stay on eviction after the Union challenged the HC’s December order rejecting their plea. On March 3, the SC remanded the case back to the HC, instructing it to resolve the dispute while extending the hawkers’ stay for three more months.
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