Mumbai: Walking on the west side of Dadar railway station is no less than negotiating an obstacle course. Pedestrians must joust with hawkers for space. It is a 10-minute walk before one can find a taxi, in stark contrast to Dadar East, where taxis are waiting just outside the station gate.
Below Dadar flyover is the flower market, where hawkers set up their stalls on the footpaths. Adding to the woes are the uneven pavements and narrow roads that result because of the hawkers and illegal parking.
On the west side lies Ranade Road, connecting Dadar station to Babarao Savarkar Chowk. A 100-metre walk on this road, which is supposed take no more than two minutes can stretch out to five-seven minutes.
“It is an everyday hassle for me while walking to work. The road outside the station has become really narrow due to the motorcycles and cars parked there, while hawkers eat up the rest of the space,” says Ashwin Bangade, a management professional, who has to walk every day through MC Jawale Marg to reach work.
Pedestrians and locals are also concerned that hawker encroachment may pose a hurdle in the event of an emergency.
Fire engines and other relief vehicles will not be able to enter the area.
“There will be a virtual ‘massacre’ in areas near Dadar station in case there is an emergency situation or an accident, as the relief vehicles will be unable to enter the premises,” worriesJaidev Rawal, a local resident.
Meanwhile, senior officials of the BMC G - north ward office say regular drives are conducted to counter the menace of the hawkers and illegal parking.
“We conduct regular drives to control the menace of the hawkers. We have also written to the local in-charge of the traffic control to clamp down on illegal parking,” said an officer in the maintenance department, on condition of anonymity.
Another ward officer said the BMC has proposed an alternative hawking zone, but hawkers are reluctant to leave this prime location.
However, a member of the Union of Mumbai Hawkers and Kamgar Association, Deepak More told The Free Press Journal,, the BMC is yet to hand over the alternative spot to the hawkers. More informed, the BMC had earlier proposed a fully functional market space at Senapati Bapat Marg but on a spot visit union members found the building to be in a dilapidated condition.
“We have visited the alternative spot and noted that the building was not in a good condition. We urged the BMC to renovate the building but no repairs have been started, as of now,” stated More.
