Vendors, beggars get a free run on no-hawking zone
Indian Express: The area declared as ‘no hawking zone’ on the arterial MG Road is dotted with hawkers and beggars with Pune Cantonment Board’s (PCB) anti-nuisance squad unable to do much to keep the area clear.
Though PCB guards are put on duty on the MG Road, there are complaints that no action has been taken for a long time to prevent the illegal hawkers from sitting here. Local residents and shopkeepers have raised complaints about the growing begging activity in the area. The PCB official privately admits that the squad is facing severe staff crunch after staff were deputed on toll booth duty.
“Staff from the nuisance prevention squad are deputed on toll booths after the PCB was forced to appoint its staff for collection of vehicle entry tax at 13 toll booths in the jurisdiction. Unless more staff are added to the present squad it’s difficult to keep a check on the illegal hawkers who off late have started working in an organised way. The same is the case with begging,” he said.
When the area was declared a no hawking zone, the PCB had declared that it would rehabilitate the street-side vendors. Likewise, stalls were allotted to authorised vendors in the fashion street. But over the years the number of hawkers has grown.
“Daily the van of the anti-nuisance squad comes and goes back empty. It seems that the anti-nuisance squad is hand-in-glove with the hawkers,” said Anand Kochar of Camp Merchants Association. The illegal hawkers are also causing concerns to small shopowners here who complain about their business loss. “From our earnings a good part goes by way of rent. These street side vendors attract a good number of our customers incurring business loss to us. It is high time the PCB took some stern action on the issue,” said a shopkeeper on MG Road.
Jarnail Singh, head of PCB Nuisance Prevention Squad, said two guards and two supervisors are on duty on a daily basis and within a week’s time more guards would be pressed into duty.
“From 2 pm to 10 pm two guards and two supervisors are on duty to prevent any nuisance in the area. We will check the increase in the number of illegal hawkers and also curb the begging menace,” he said.
“It is difficult to walk on the street with the haphazard parking of vehicles.
It’s for everyone to see the hawkers squatting near the PCB’s nuisance prevention squad vehicle. Begging is another nuisance in the area. But the authorities are turning a blind eye towards this,” said Deepak Shah, a senior citizen.
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