Two days before the first anniversary of the triple blasts at Opera House, Zaveri Bazaar and Dadar, displaced hawkers at Opera House have sought the high court’s permission to restart their business.
Last year on July 13, three blasts had rocked the metropolis, leaving 27 dead and 127 people injured. After the blasts, however, as a precautionary measure, hawkers were not allowed to vend in these areas.
Now, a hawkers’
body Pancharatna Hawkers/Vendors Welfare Association has moved Bombay high court, seeking permission to resume business outside the busy Opera House.
The Association, comprising 75 members, almost all of them from around diamond market at Opera House, have submitted that they were evicted from the area after the 13/7 bomb blasts. “Till July 13, 2011, the Association members were carrying out their business. However, after the blasts, the city police illegally stopped them from putting up their stalls at the spot,” said the petition.
“In 2000, the HC had directed the BMC to implement a scheme to regulate hawking zones in the city. This was challenged in the Supreme Court and in 2003, the apex court had ordered for status quo to be maintained,” added the petition. The petition further states that when the hawkers set up their stalls after the blast, they were pushed around and allegedly lathi-charged by the police.
A division bench of Justices A.M. Khanwilkar and A.R. Joshi posted the matter for hearing on August 22.