Hawkers continue their business in the Majestic underpass despite HC order instructing otherwise.
By Apoorva GS
The Majestic underpass has been occupied by the hawkers who sell gadgets, clothes and other items despite the orders from the High Court that stated no hawkers are permitted to occupy the subways.
Nearly 70,000 people use this underpass every day which connects Majestic Kempegowda bus terminal, Majestic metro station and Krantivira Sangolli Rayanna railway station.
Followed by the High Court order, Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) had stated in an affidavit that regular patrolling of the subways would be done and the jurisdictional police would be called upon to ensure that there is no illegal occupation of subways. The petition was disposed by the high court after accepting this affidavit. But BBMP has not taken any action yet. Harish, hawker in the same underpass said, “I have been doing my business here for past four years. The high court passed the order to vacate the place. After that I could not find any place to go so I did not vacate it. Even the government did not take up any initiative to provide us a new place. That is why I had to come back to the same place.”
Nagaraj, Chief Engineer, BBMP, said “Due to some political interference, we are unable to vacate those hawkers from the underpass. But we are trying very hard to find a way to relocate them.”
“Even if the government relocates them, these hawkers will not vacate the underpass considering the floating population and amount of business they get from this place,” said a regular commuter.
