2 arrested for 4 deaths in hoarding collapse

Mumbai: Taking cognisance of re-emergence of unauthorised hawkers outside railway stations, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has directed civic officials to expedite action against them and remove them from the station areas.

After the Elphinstone Road foot overbridge stampede on September 29, 2017, in which 23 people lost their lives, the Bombay high court had banned hawking within 150 metres of railway stations. To ensure that HC ruling is not violated, the BMC had drawn demarcation lines outside railway stations to keep hawkers away from the station areas.

However, it has been found that at several railway stations like Santacruz, Dadar, Vile Parle, Matunga, Kurla, etc. unauthorised hawkers have again encro-ached the areas near the stations.

In the monthly review meeting held in civic headquarters on Satu-rday, civic chief Ajoy Mehta directed civic officials to act against such illegal hawkers strictly.

For the removal of illegal hawkers, the BMC has increased the number of inspectors to 107 from 80 and also deployed over 100 vehicles.