Mumbai: Kandivli colony hires bouncers to clear hawkers

Bouncers ensure a pavement outside Panchsheel Heights in Kandivli West is free of encroachments on Friday. Pics/Satej Shinde

Frustrated by the lack of response from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to repeated complaints about hawkers occupying footpaths in their vicinity, residents of Panchsheel Heights - a housing society in Mahavir Nagar, Kandivli West - have taken matters into their own hands: by hiring bouncers. The 20-year-old housing society has been struggling to keep footpath encroachers at bay since the pandemic.

After complaints are filed with the civic body, residents say hawkers temporarily vacate the area when the municipal corporation's vehicles arrive, only to return within 15 to 20 minutes.

Sachin Sardesai, chairman, Panchsheel Heights

With both footpaths adjacent to the building perpetually blocked, residents faced daily inconvenience while commuting to work, going to the market, or escorting children to school.

"We have hired bouncers through our security agency for at least 15 days to ensure that the footpaths are kept clear. If they return after that, we'll repeat the process," said Sachin Sardesai, chairman of the society. "We were forced to take this step because the BMC has failed to act, despite multiple complaints," he added.

A group of bouncers ensure a pavement outside Panchsheel Heights in Kandivli's Mahavir Nagar is completely free of encroachers on April 4

Desperate measures

The society, which comprises three wings and 300 flats that house over 1000 residents, has decided to deploy 10 to 12 bouncers - including a few women bouncers. "We will be paying the security agency concerned Rs 10,000 per day for 15 days. The bouncers will be stationed along the footpath from 7 am to 9 pm to ensure that no hawkers return," said Indukumar Amin, secretary of Panchsheel Heights. "This will put a financial burden on the society, but we are left with no other option as the BMC continues to turn a blind eye. The problem of hawkers is a citywide one, and a hawker-free footpath feels like a distant dream. We decided to do what we could - at least to reclaim our own footpath."

The Panchsheel Heights housing society comprises three wings that house over 1000 residents

Amin added that the footpath issue is compounded by a BMC-run pay-and-park facility on the adjacent road, which often leads to traffic congestion. "Removing hawkers will at least provide some relief from the daily chaos. Opposite our building is a school, and because the footpath is blocked, parents are forced to walk on the road to drop their kids off. This leads to traffic jams and makes life miserable every morning and evening," he said.

The chairman of the society also said two days ago a complaint was made to local MLA Yogesh Sagar of the BJP who helped them to get some hawkers removed with the help of BMC's R South ward.

Indukumar Amin, secretary of Panchsheel Heights

OfficialSpeak

"The allegations that the BMC has not taken action are baseless. We have been conducting regular drives against hawkers and take action whenever we receive complaints regarding hawker-related issues. I am not aware of the society hiring bouncers to clear the footpath - that is their internal decision. However, our team recently removed hawkers from the footpath," said Assistant Municipal Commissioner Manish Salve of the R South ward.

Rs 10,000
Amount society is paying security agency daily for its services

300
No. of flats in Panchsheel Heights