HC notice to authorities for inaction against hawkers near Vikroli station

Bombay HC issues notices to BMC, CR, and Vikroli police over PIL for clearing hawkers and illegal parking near Vikroli railway station.

MUMBAI: The Bombay high court on Tuesday issued notices to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), Central Railway (CR), and the Vikroli police to respond to a public interest litigation (PIL) seeking direction to keep the 60-foot DP Road east of the Vikroli railway station clear of hawkers and illegal parking.

HC notice to authorities for inaction against hawkers near Vikroli station

The PIL also sought facilities from CR, such as approach ramps to the Vikhroli station entry and a foot over bridge leading to the station, along with a ticket window and automatic ticket vending machines on the station’s east side.

A bench of chief justice Alok Aradhe and justice Bharati Dangre was hearing the plea, filed by Vikroli residents Digamber Mungekar and Pursshotam Chury through advocates Gauraj Shah and Yatin Shah. The PIL stated that the access road to the station, which had been built under the directions of the high court, has been infested with hawkers and other encroachments, which CR has been unable to clear.

It added that although the occupants of the illegal structures are protected by an order of the high court, the court had in 2016 also directed the BMC to move them elsewhere by offering them alternate transit accommodation.

The plea further alleged that the civic body had also failed to put up “No Parking” signs at appropriate places along the road, which has exacerbated traffic congestion due to illegal parking. It added that the Vikroli police chowky had failed to act against the illegal hawkers despite them operating right under their noses.