When Justices Ajay Gadkari and Kamal Khata of the Bombay High Court scathingly remarked that “the police and the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation are not doing anything” about the hawkers’ issue and asked, “Where will the common man go?” there was an unmistakable déjà vu.

The judges rapped the authorities for their inability to identify illegal hawkers or take action and pointed out that, despite the directions by the Supreme Court of India, the situation has “remained as it is”.

This is the crux of the issue—the situation persisting or worsening by the year as street vendors occupy larger areas—not only in Mumbai but in cities across India, from large metropolitan ones like Delhi and Kolkata to smaller cities like Bengaluru, Indore, Jaipur, and Kochi.

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