‘No Hawking’ Only On Paper? Buldi Traders Say NMC Officials Bribed

Nagpur: The Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) on Tuesday carried out an anti-encroachment drive at Sitabuldi Main Road shortly after members of the Sitabuldi Merchants Association submitted a memorandum to mayor Neeta Thakre alleging unchecked hawking, selective enforcement and corruption by ground-level civic staff in the city's busiest commercial hub. According to the association, despite Sitabuldi Main Road officially being declared a ‘no hawking zone', hawkers continue to occupy large stretches of the road from Mahajan Market to Parekh Jewellers and entry points of Modi Lane Nos 1, 2 and 3, leading to congestion and obstruction for customers, commuters and emergency services. Following the submission of the memorandum, NMC teams reportedly initiated an anti-encroachment drive in the area. However, members of the association claimed that the action remained temporary. "When we told the mayor about the issue, she soon directed NMC officials to take action, after which the action was taken. However, every time NMC takes action, the hawkers return within 10 minutes," said a member of the Association. In the memorandum submitted to the mayor, the association alleged that some ground-level NMC personnel were not implementing anti-hawking rules effectively. The association claimed that in several instances, officials appeared to document the situation or photograph only after hawkers temporarily dispersed, following which encroachments allegedly resumed almost immediately.The traders' body also levelled serious allegations of bribery against certain civic staff members. The association claimed that some officials were allegedly accepting small bribes to allow hawkers to continue operating in the area. The association also accused civic authorities of selective enforcement, alleging that action was frequently taken against shopkeepers while hawkers occupying parking spaces outside the same establishments were allegedly ignored. Traders claimed mannequins and displays belonging to legitimate businesses were removed during drives, whereas encroachments on roads and footpaths allegedly continued unchecked. According to the association, the situation worsens significantly on Sundays when the number of hawkers increases significantly and enforcement activity allegedly weakens despite the presence of civic staff on duty. The memorandum demanded immediate and sustained action against illegal hawking on Sitabuldi main road, a transparent inquiry into alleged misconduct and bribery involving enforcement staff, and stricter monitoring to ensure consistent implementation of no-hawking regulations.