October 31, 2025: Mumbai’s newly launched Aqua Line 3 Metro, a flagship infrastructure project worth Rs 37,270 crore, is already facing operational challenges as illegal hawkers have returned to areas surrounding key station entrances. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has intensified enforcement around busy locations, particularly Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) and nearby stations, but maintaining control has proven difficult.
Despite daily inspections and removal drives, hawkers often resume operations within hours. Many vendors adopt evasive tactics — temporarily clearing their stalls when civic teams arrive and reopening soon after they leave. One hawker admitted that they “pack up during inspections but reopen soon after,” while another shared that they primarily operate in the evenings and relocate quickly when officials approach.
BMC officials acknowledge the challenge of sustaining long-term enforcement. Jaideep More, Assistant Municipal Commissioner of A Ward, said that “daily inspections are conducted but the vendors’ return requires frequent and sometimes unannounced visits.” Similarly, Rohit Trivedi, Assistant Municipal Commissioner of E Ward, noted that while daytime patrols may find no hawkers, “festive seasons see a surge in activity, prompting renewed action plans.”
The recurring encroachment issue highlights the complexity of managing Mumbai’s dense public spaces. Traditional measures such as confiscation of goods, short-term eviction, and periodic inspections have offered only temporary relief.
Officials are now exploring sustained monitoring and integrated enforcement strategies to protect pedestrian movement and ensure commuter safety near Metro entrances. The situation underscores a broader urban challenge — balancing Mumbai’s massive infrastructure upgrades with the persistent realities of informal street economies that thrive around high-footfall zones.
Source: Prop News Time
