August 7, 2025: The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is set to relocate vendors from the Chhatrapati Shivaji Fish Market to newly constructed sheds on MRA Marg. The decision follows recent protests by local activists regarding persistent encroachments by hawkers along public roads in the area.
The move mirrors a precedent set five years ago, when hawkers from Crawford Market were temporarily allowed to operate on the footpath and roadside outside the historic market building. This arrangement is expected to continue until the ongoing redevelopment of the Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Market is completed.
Civic activists, however, have raised strong objections to the legality of allowing licenced hawkers to trade on public roads. “Even if the hawkers are licenced, conducting business on public roads is a clear violation of municipal rules,” said activist Kamlakar Shenoy. “How can such permission be granted, even temporarily? Redevelopment is progressing slowly, and meanwhile, citizens are forced to bear the inconvenience.”
On Tuesday, Shenoy and a group of protestors staged a demonstration outside the BMC’s A ward office, demanding that the road outside Crawford Market be cleared of hawkers. Assistant Municipal Commissioner (Markets), Manish Valanju, stated that redevelopment of the Crawford Market building would take approximately two more years. “The hawkers have been given temporary permission to operate until the market is ready for occupation,” he said.
He confirmed that the vendors from Chhatrapati Shivaji Fish Market will be shifted to the MRA Marg sheds in the interim. Once the occupation certificate for the redeveloped market is issued, the vendors will be relocated back to the premises.
Source: The Free Press Journal
