Mumbai: Five persons were arrested on Saturday, March, for allegedly assaulting civic officials during an anti-hawker drive conducted by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation in Kandivali a day earlier, reported PTI.
The incident took place on Friday night in the Lokhandwala Circle area when a team of BMC officials was carrying out a drive to remove illegal street vendors from the locality.
During the operation, a group of individuals allegedly confronted the civic staff and chased them, leading to an altercation. The driver of an earthmover machine deployed for the anti-encroachment drive was also reportedly assaulted during the incident.
Following the incident, police launched an investigation and arrested five individuals in connection with the alleged assault.
BMC Conducts Anti-Hawkers Drive At Thakur Complex
The incident comes barely a week after the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) conducted a major anti-encroachment drive in Thakur Complex under Ward 24.
During the operation, civic officials, accompanied by police personnel and local representatives, removed unauthorised stalls and cleared footpaths that residents said had become heavily congested over time.
The action was part of a wider civic initiative across Mumbai aimed at reclaiming pedestrian spaces and addressing long-standing complaints of blocked pavements and traffic bottlenecks.
Local corporator Swati Sanjay Jaiswal, who was present during the drive, said the administration would take a strict stand against illegal encroachments in the locality. “Illegal hawking or encroachment will not be allowed in this area,” she said.
Jaiswal also alleged that an organised hawker network operates in certain parts of the suburb and stated that the ongoing drives are intended to curb such activities. At the same time, she clarified that the action is not directed at all vendors.
Highlighting concerns around livelihood, she noted that several government welfare schemes are available for eligible individuals. “They can apply under different government schemes, but occupying footpaths illegally will not be permitted,” she added.
Residents, meanwhile, welcomed the civic action and expressed hope that the cleared pavements would remain accessible to pedestrians in the future.
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