On Wednesday, the Bombay High Court ordered 170 unlicensed hawkers to leave Colaba Causeway, bringing relief to South Mumbai residents. The decision aims to clear the pavements for pedestrians and address complaints about overcrowding.

The Bombay High Court’s order came after the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) revealed that only 83 hawkers were officially licensed, contrary to the 253 claimed by the Colaba Causeway Tourism Hawkers Stall Union (CCTHSU).

The court directed the civic body to submit an affidavit confirming these numbers and allowed unlicensed hawkers time until Monday to vacate the area, as requested by the CCTHSU.

The legal action stemmed from an intervention plea filed by the Clean Heritage Colaba Residents’ Association (CHCRA) on March 20 in an ongoing writ petition involving the CCTHSU. The residents’ association contended that the actual number of licensed hawkers was even lower than the BMC's report, estimating only 79 authorized vendors. The high court had earlier directed the BMC to verify the CCTHSU’s claims, uncovering the discrepancy.

“Eventually, the truth has come out. Residents have always contended that most of the hawkers on pavements are not licensed. The BMC’s list confirming only 83 licensed hawkers has validated the residents’ concerns. This is a sigh of relief for citizens who have long awaited unobstructed pavements,” said Choudhary.

Former BJP corporator from Colaba, Makarand Narwekar, welcomed the court’s decision, calling it a major victory for local residents. He also noted that Colaba MLA Rahul Narwekar has allocated ₹2.5 crore to set up modernized kiosks for the 83 authorized hawkers. This initiative aims to prevent the resurgence of illegal vendors while improving the look of Colaba Causeway.