Khairnar strikes at hawkers' stalls at CST

Khairnar strikes at hawkers' stalls at CST
EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE

Mumbai, May 5: Barely two weeks after he re-assumed office, `Demolition Man' G R Khairnar today struck a hard blow at the now well-established unauthorised hawkers at Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (CST) and the General Post Office (GPO).

Using heavy-duty JCB machines, the BMC demolition squad, under the supervision of Khairnar, crushed some of the wares and belongings of the hawkers, who obviously did not take it kindly.

``We started Operation Eviction by noon today, but at around 3.15 pm, the affected hawkers and their leaders blocked the D N Road, started shouting slogans against BMC and pelted stones,'' Khairnar told Mumbai Newsline.

Though no one was injured, one BMC encroachment removal van was damaged in the stone-pelting, its windscreen shattered. A mild police lathi-charge dispersed the crowd and normalcy was restored in the area by 3.45 pm. No one was arrested.

However, by evening some of the hawkers reinstalled their stalls on the pavement.

In an earlier survey, BMC had found nearly 2,500 unauthorised hawkers at CST, GPO, and the adjoining DN Road. In today's eviction drive, BMC used one JCB machine, five trucks, 30 labourers and police escort.