Navi Mumbai | September 8, 2026 — The Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation has ordered a citywide drive to remove unauthorised stalls, pan shops and other encroachments from footpaths before Ganeshotsav, with special attention to areas around schools, colleges, hospitals, railway stations and markets.
Municipal commissioner Dr Kailas Shinde directed officials to remove pan shops from within 50 metres of schools and colleges, according to a report by Loksatta – Navi Mumbai. He also instructed ward offices to form special teams and prepare action plans to clear major footpaths before the festival period, when pedestrian and vehicle movement is expected to increase.
The directions were issued during a review meeting on Friday covering civic facilities, encroachments, sanitation, footpaths, alleged drug sales and preparations for Ganeshotsav. Shinde said footpaths should be reserved for pedestrians and that pan shops or similar businesses should not operate around educational institutions, where student movement is high.
The municipal corporation said authorised hawkers would be shifted to alternative locations, while action would be taken against unauthorised vendors occupying pedestrian areas. Ward offices have been asked to identify priorities and continue enforcement regularly instead of conducting only one-time action. The report said special attention would be given to footpaths near schools, hospitals, railway stations and markets.
Railway station areas will also be covered by a separate campaign. The civic administration cited complaints and passenger experiences around Nerul railway station while directing that similar action be taken around all stations. Police have been asked to work with the municipal corporation to address the alleged sale and use of narcotic substances in and around station areas.
The drive will also include food stalls operating on roads at night. Civic officials said complaints had been received about unauthorised food carts remaining on roads until midnight after daytime enforcement operations ended. Separate night teams are being formed, and officials have been instructed to examine action against roadside food sales after 11 p.m. Daily enforcement against unauthorised hawkers has also been ordered.
Deputy commissioner of the encroachment department Sanjay Shinde said instructions had been issued to all eight ward offices. He said the removal of pan shops had been under way since the previous week and that approximately 90% had already been removed, with the remaining shops to be cleared soon. He added that a separate team had been formed for regular enforcement.
The municipal corporation’s stated deadline is to clear the city’s main footpaths before Ganeshotsav. The next steps are the deployment of ward-level teams, preparation of enforcement plans and continued action in the identified public-use areas.
