Need to rid all stations of hawker menace

Representation pic

The Thane municipal commissioner has asked the police and civic authorities to clear hawkers and beggars from 150-metre radius of Thane railway station, officials said. The Thane civic body and the city traffic police department will also carry out a joint operation to take strict action against auto rickshaw drivers in case of violation of rules. The action may bring some relief to the 5 lakh commuters who use the station for daily commutes.

It also shows us the importance of clearing large stretches around all stations in the city, so that the public have unhindered access to the station.

High footfalls means there are hawkers ready to milk the situation to sell their wares. Since footpaths are blocked, pedestrians access the station through roads, which is a dangerous scenario as several buses with their feeder route to the station are also on the same road. Then, there are rickshaws trying to vend their way, dropping off passengers. Every train traveller is aware of the rush around the area and the immense challenges the congestion brings about.

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It is important to decongest areas around all stations. Maybe a zone can be demarcated a little away for hawkers and only legal hawkers be allowed to carry out their business. Footpaths, at least those leading directly to the station, have to be completely clear.

This paper has highlighted numerous times how auto rickshaws are a law unto themselves in certain pockets - refusing to ply, plying shared autos at high rates, or simply asking for higher fare as desperate people try to make their way to their destinations.

Numerous drives to try and address these problems have been successful, but only temporarily. Like a boomerang, there is an inevitable bounce back. A relentless, visionary, consistent and strong-willed approach is needed to change things not just in Thane, but elsewhere too.