Fri, 23 Oct, 2026, 02:36 pm
Reported by Mid-Day
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation BMC on Friday carried out an antiencroachment drive in Dadar removing 12 unauthorised structures temporary tarpaulin sheds and unauthorised platforms and taking action against 60 hawkers along the footpaths near the late Meenatai Thackeray Flower Market and Senapati Bapat MargThe action was carried out on Friday by the civic bodys GNorth ward under its lsquoPedestrian Firstrsquo campaign which aims to clear footpaths of encroachments and make them accessible for pedestriansThe drive was conducted under the guidance of BMC Commissioner Ashwini Bhide and Deputy Municipal Commissioner Zone II Prashant Sapkale GNorth Ward Assistant Commissioner Yogesh Desai led the operationAdequate police personnel were deployed during the driveThe civic body has been implementing the lsquoPedestrian Firstrsquo campaign to remove unauthorised hawkers and encroachments from footpaths and ensure that pedestrians can move around without obstructionsAs part of the initiative the BMC is undertaking measures to make footpaths more accessible and convenient for pedestrians across the cityThe civic administration has appealed to citizens and vendors not to carry out unauthorised construction or leave materials on footpaths in ways that obstruct pedestrian movement It warned that strict action would be taken if such encroachments were foundBMCrsquos wider lsquoPedestrian Firstrsquo campaign targets footpath encroachments across MumbaiThe Dadar drive comes amid the BMCrsquos wider efforts to reclaim footpaths for pedestrians across Mumbai Under the lsquoPedestrian Firstrsquo campaign the civic body has reported removing 2803 encroachments and hawkers from 399 footpaths across the city covering roads stretching about 500 kmThe campaign is being implemented across all administrative wards with priority given to areas around hospitals schools colleges railway stations bus stations and other public places where unobstructed pedestrian movement is particularly importantAt a review meeting at the BMCrsquos Command and Control Centre in Worli last week Bhide directed officials to ensure that footpaths remain clear safe and accessible even after encroachments are removed The civic administration has also emphasised the need to repair damaged footpaths maintain cleanliness and prevent unauthorised parking and structures from obstructing pedestrian movementThe BMC has warned that enforcement must be sustained with officials expected to take action against recurring encroachments and ensure that cleared footpaths remain available for public use
