Mumbai: BMC Plans Underground Market At Ganpatrao Ambre Udyan In Andheri West To Tackle Hawker Encroachment

Mumbai: The BMC will be constructing an underground market at Ganpatrao Ambre Udyan in Andheri West. A consultant has been appointed by the BMC to design two levels of a hawking plaza and an underground parking space at this location.  

With the hawker's policy not in place, the roads and footpaths in the city have been encroached on. To resolve the issue, Mumbai Guardian Minister Deepak Kesarkar suggested setting up underground bazaars on the lines of Delhi Palika Bazar. The underground markets will save already scarce space besides benefitting the citizens, he believed. Following the directives, civic officials of the market and garden department visited Palika Bazaar in Delhi last month. 

Accordingly, a garden located near Andheri West railway station has been identified for constructing a hawking plaza. "Around 500 hawkers around the station area will be relocated in this underground hawking plaza. After construction, the hawking plaza and parking, the garden will be back in its place," said a civic official. 

The ward officials of 25 administrative wards have been instructed to identify suitable open spaces in their respective wards for setting up such hawking bazaars. The places closer to railway stations where there is high footfall will be given priority. However, the BMC has been unable to select gardens suggested by the wards. Since they were too small or did not fall around high footfall areas, said civic sources. 

The Development Control and Promotion Regulations (DCPR) 2034 also proposed shopping hubs below public open spaces and lands reserved for playgrounds and parks in the city.