PMC cracks down on late-night illegal hawkers in Deccan

Pune: The civic body cleared illegal hawkers from several stretches in the Deccan area late on Monday night and confiscated their belongings as part of a drive against unauthorised vendors operating outside the prescribed hours.Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) officials said these vendors, including food stall operators, were not only operating without permits, but also encroaching upon footpaths. The trash and waste dumped by them on footpaths rendered the walkways nearly unusable for pedestrians.“The central team spearheaded this action. More such removals of illegal roadside vendors are on the horizon,” said Prithviraj BP, additional commissioner, PMC. The civic administration has been conducting regular drives against illegal hawkers in areas like Sinhagad Road, Satara Road, Deccan, FC Road and JM Road, officials said.Citizens welcomed the drive and demanded that even the police officials should join the initiative. “Many roadside vendors like food stall operators double up as open bars at night. This not only causes nuisance to locals, but also poses a security threat to women passing through these areas at night,” said Ketki Paranjape, a frequent visitor to the Deccan area.Current PMC data indicates the city has approximately 21,000 authorised vendors, though officials admit the number of illegal operators is significantly higher. To bring order to the streets, PMC has begun blacklisting even authorised vendors who repeatedly flout civic norms.As part of a broader policy for hawker management, the corporation is also rolling out a biometric identification system to track and regulate roadside businesses, ensuring that the city’s growth remains organised and pedestrian-friendly.