Navi Mumbai Municipal Commissioner Kailas Shinde has ordered a citywide drive to remove unauthorised stalls and clear major footpaths before Ganeshotsav, with special action planned around schools, colleges, railway stations, hospitals, markets and other high-footfall areas.
The orders were issued during a review meeting on civic facilities held on Friday, according to a report by Loksatta – Navi Mumbai. The municipal administration has directed all eight ward offices to prepare enforcement plans and appoint dedicated teams for sustained action against encroachments.
The commissioner instructed officials to remove pan shops and similar businesses from within 50 metres of schools and colleges. The administration said students are present in large numbers in these areas and that no pan stall should operate near educational institutions.
Sanjay Shinde, deputy commissioner of the NMMC encroachment department, said action against pan shops had been under way for the previous week and that around 90% had already been removed. “The work to clear footpaths before Ganeshotsav is under way. Pan shops are being removed, and the remaining ones will also be removed at the earliest,” he said, according to the report.
The municipal corporation also plans a special operation around railway stations, following complaints about obstructions and difficulties faced by passengers, including in the Nerul station area. Authorised street vendors are to be shifted to alternative locations, while unauthorised vendors operating on footpaths will face enforcement action.
The civic administration said footpaths must remain available for pedestrians. Encroachments currently force some people to walk on roads, increasing their exposure to traffic and the risk of accidents. The corporation expects pedestrian and vehicle movement to rise during Ganeshotsav and has therefore prioritised clearance work before the festival.
The review meeting also covered alleged drug sales and consumption near railway stations and educational institutions. The commissioner directed the police to take the lead in preventing such activity, with support from the municipal corporation, and called for regular action in station areas.
Night-time food carts are another focus of the enforcement plan. The civic administration has received complaints that unauthorised food stalls remain on roads until midnight even when daytime action is carried out. Separate night teams are being formed, and officials have been instructed to examine action against roadside food sales after 11 p.m.
The municipal corporation has directed ward offices to set priorities and continue daily action against unauthorised vendors. Some operations may be led directly by the commissioner, while dedicated teams are expected to continue enforcement across the city before and during the Ganeshotsav period.
