Mumbai: BMC’s Palika Bazaar Project For Hawkers Put On Hold Again Over Viability, Local Opposition

The BMC's ambitious project to develop Palika Bazaar for hawkers beneath the city’s open spaces has been put on hold for the second time. Despite the original intent to alleviate the problem of hawkers occupying roads, the project is now deemed not viable, with civic officials unclear on whether these bazaars would effectively resolve the issue. Due to this uncertainty and opposition from local residents, sources indicate that the proposal is likely to be rolled back.

Inspired by the success of Delhi’s Palika Bazaar at Connaught Place, the BMC envisioned creating markets under open grounds, parks, and gardens, located near high-traffic areas like railway and metro stations. In January 2024, officials from the BMC’s market department visited Delhi's Palika Bazaar for a site survey. Subsequently, Mumbai’s guardian ministers, Mangal Prabhat Lodha and Deepak Kesarkar, instructed all 25 administrative wards to identify potential sites for such markets. The BMC also appointed a consultant to design two levels of hawking plazas and an underground parking space at Ganpatrao Ambre West, with additional locations, including Kotwal Garden in Dadar, also under consideration.

"The BMC's plan was to relocate hawkers from congested, high-footfall areas to designated spaces, decongesting station areas and making them more pedestrian-friendly. However, the proposal met with opposition from locals at several of the suggested locations. Moreover, there is uncertainty about whether the project will truly alleviate road congestion or prevent hawkers from returning to the streets. After receiving request from the local representatives, the plan for the first plaza in Andheri was put on hold. A meeting with the municipal commissioner is scheduled next week to discuss the future of the project," said civic sources. 

The Development Control and Promotion Regulations (DCPR) 2034 proposed the creation of shopping hubs beneath public open spaces and areas designated for playgrounds and parks across the city. As part of this ambitious plan, which was initially shelved in 2017, the idea of shifting licensed vendors to underground markets to decongest the city’s roads and footpaths was revisited this year.