Hawkers Encroach On Road Outside Borivali West Station, Residents Flag Pedestrian Safety Concerns

Mumbai: In yet another matter of encroachment in Borivali West, the road outside the railway station, locally known as Bhaji Market Gully remains heavily encroached by hawkers, leaving hardly any space for pedestrians. Local residents say, presently, the road sees firecrackers sellers as well as, creating a potential safety and security issue. They also claim that the completly encroched, has forced the BEST to divert its services from last few years.

Borivali Encroachments Under Scrutiny After Supreme Court Intervention

Borivali falls in the R-Central ward of the BMC, the same ward where the civic body failed to remove encroachments from a plot reserved for bus stand after which the apex court ordered to freeze BMC commissioner's November salary on Tuesday, which was subsequently withdrawn on Wednesday, following demolition action by the civic body. The BMC administration on Thursday on initiated action against two officials including the assistant municipal commissioner of R-Central ward.

Following the last two days developments, the illegal occupation and encroachments in the ward has come to spot light. The local residents have time and again raised this issue with the authorities, and the BMC also took action to clear the unauthorised hawkers last year, however, gradually the illegal stalls have continued to occupy the public road.

Vegetable Market, Loading Trucks Add To Congestion: BMC Official

Commenting on the encroached road outside Borivali station West, assistant municipal commissioner, R-Central ward Praful Tambe said, "The road has a BMC's vegetable market, which is slated for redevelopment. However, the trucks coming for loading and unloading stocks creats congestion in the area. There are hawking stalls on the road as well and there have been meetings with the local MLA on this. We also have held meetings with the hawkers union to remove unauthorised stalls and free the road for public."

Regarding firecrackers selling, Tambe said that no firecrackers selling is allowed in congested areas where public safety can be at risk and regular actions are taken being against such stalls.

Purva Gharge, a resident of Borivali said, "Last year the BMC had removed the hawkers on the road outside station. However, they resumed their business gradually and now the entire area is back to condition as it was before. During festivals, even the skywalk from the railway station is full of unauthorised hawkers, alongwith the road beneath, leaving hardly any space for commuters."

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