After 11 years, Pali Hill road vendors to move to half-done building on Independence Day

MUMBAI: Eleven years after licensed fruit and vegetable vendors were evacuated from Bandra 's Pali Hill on the promise that they will be relocated in a 15-storey market building that will come up there, the first lot of vendors will move into an incomplete structure that lacks basic amenities like electricity, water and toilet facilities, on Independence Day.

The rest will move in next month, said sources.


During a meeting between various stakeholders from the area, including vendors, activists, corporators and civic officials, on Saturday, civic officials said 39 licensed vendors, who will be selected after a lottery , will be relocated in the redeveloped market building on August 15. Assistant municipal commissioner of markets department Sangita Hasnale confirmed: "It has been decided that some vendors be sent into the redeveloped market. Arrangements for the required facilities are in process."

But Madhu Poplai, secretary of Pali Hill Residents' Association, complained that the vendors were evacuated on September 2008, but even after 11 years, the proposed 15-storey market building with a basement is no where near completion. "The builder has failed to provide facilities like water, electricity and toilet. Also, he did not attend the meeting," said Poplai. "We told the BMC that this is not acceptable and licensed vendors should get their space back." The builder did not respond to text messages from TOI.

Congress corporator from Bandra Asif Zakeria alleged that the BMC has given a "free hand" to the developer. "The BMC should have cancelled the agreement. Due to the project delay, vendors will now have to suffer and work from the half-done market space."

Local corporator from BJP Swapna Mhatre said they plan to ask shopkeepers in the area to bring in trucks with their supplies either at night or early morning to avoid traffic congestion in the narrow lanes during the day. "Despite widening the road, parked vehicles still cause traffic jams."