Your space: Civic body requires strong hawker policy for Pune

Strap- Roadside vendors or hawkers have become a part of the very cultural fabric of Pune. However, these establishments complicate urban living. With anti-encroachment drives proving fruitless, the Pune Municipal Corporation has decided to file police complaints against illegal hawkers from the first week of June. Here is what our readers have to say…

PMC does not act on complaints

In Hadapsar, there is no space left to walk at the main Gadital chowk as roadside vendors and hawkers have occupied the entire area. Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) officials do not act on complaints filed by residents. It has become a regular nuisance not only for the pedestrians, but also for vehicular traffic. PMC’s anti-encroachment officials come once in a while, take away some of them, but these hawkers come back and restart their business.

-Vipul Alekar

Develop small markets in each area

I live in Sadashiv peth and since it is a part of the old city areas, it is always surrounded by roadside vendors. I think we should try to understand their problems too. It would not be correct to lodge police complaints against them and send them to jail, since there are other people doing more serious crimes than these poor people. At the same time, the problems faced by the public due to these vendors should also be considered and PMC should develop small markets in every part of the city and shift them there.

-Shailesh Kshirsagar

Need to look at the humanitarian angle

We should look at this issue from a humanitarian angle. Yes, they cause problems, but for roadside vendors, this is how they earn their daily bread and butter. It will not be correct, if PMC files a police complaint against them. These vendors belong to the lower strata of the society and need proper rehabilitation. PMC should give them space to start their business.

-Vikram Bhattacharya

Decision to file plaint welcome

Mahatma Gandhi road (MG road) and many areas across Camp are full of roadside vendors and it has become a big menace for residents. PMC’s decision to take strict action against them and lodge a police complaint is welcome. Many a times, these roadside vendors also have verbal arguments and fights at night, making the area unsafe for women.

-Sheetal Fernandez

Need to develop a fear of the law

Roadside vendors are flourishing across Pune and the PMC’s decision to take strict action against them is right. In Sahakarnagar, they have created their monopoly and have covered major parts of the footpath and even some part of the road. Senior citizens and children find it very difficult to walk, specially during the evening rush hours and when you try to tell them to move their goods from the footpath, they start arguing. So, if a police complaint is lodged against them, then, they will at least have some fear of the law.

-Manju Wadekar

Authorised vendors should not be affected

A year ago, some residents were allegedly beaten up when roadside vendors clashed in Wanowrie. These hawkers stay till late at night on the roads and this gives miscreants a chance to engage in anti-social activities like robbery and eve teasing. So, all of them should be removed immediately, but at the same time lodging a police complaint against authorised vendors would not be right.

-Avinash Nair

Hurdle for pedestrians and traffic

I live near Sinhagad road in Wadgaon Dhayari and the entire street in front of my house is lined up with roadside vendors. Sometimes, it is convenient for us since we can buy vegetables and other items from them at a cheap price, but more often than not, these hawkers become a hurdle for pedestrians. Some of these hawkers illegally occupy spots which is risky considering the fact that traffic monitoring can be affected. PMC should conduct a survey of the hawkers in the city and those who are found to be illegally occupying spaces should be removed and action should be taken against them.

-Rohan Nalawade

First Published:
Jun 09, 2019 16:24 IST

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