BMC’s latest weapon against illegal vendors: potted plants

 The Brihanmumbai Municipal Cooperation (BMC) has come up with the novel idea of lining the footpath near Dadar station with potted plants to keep hawkers at bay. According to the civic body, these pots, will not only keep hawkers from recurrently putting up their stalls on the footpath, but also beautify the area. 

    BMC officials have initiated several drives against hawkers in an attempt to keep the footpaths and roads free for pedestrians and traffic. However, despite their repeated attempts, unauthorised hawkers keep returning to the same spots. 
    "In last four months, I have tried to remove the hawkers from this area countless times. Almost every alternate day, my team would try to make them leave. But they are back at the same spot the next day. The number of hawkers has reduced, but many still remain," said Devendra Jain, assistant municipal commissioner of G-south ward. 
    400 clay-pots planted with Ficus and Areca farm trees will be placed along the footpath leading to Dadar station. While the trees were bought from nurseries in Pune and Bangalore, the pots are from Shahad-Kalyan and Ghodbunder Road. The BMC has spent about Rs 2,40,000 on the entire project. 
    While locals are unsure about how effective this plan will be in keeping hawkers away, they are glad it will add a little beauty to the area. "It will make the footpath look better. But the maintenance of the trees is most important," said Kanti Gala, a shopkeeper from Ranade Road.

400 such pots will be placed along the footpath near Dadar station