Matunga Flower Vendors Protest as BMC Demolishes Stalls Without Notice

Mumbai, India: Vendors at Matunga’s iconic flower market are up in arms after the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) demolished their stalls without prior notice. Despite holding valid licences for decades, vendors claim they were given no time to present documents before the civic body used JCBs to pull down structures on Thursday and Friday.

Senior vendor Shankar Lingam, who has been running his stall for 47 years, stated, “We covered our stalls with BMC’s permission 30 years ago. They should have given us time to prove our legal status.” Another vendor, Dwarka Bhalerao, who has a 50-year-old licence, echoed similar concerns, saying, “We weren’t even allowed to remove our stock before the demolition.”

During the drive, 52 stalls were removed on Thursday and 30 more on Friday, with 14 allegedly encroaching on public spaces and the rest having unauthorised extensions, according to BMC officials. Vendors, however, argue that they had approvals and have never faced such action before.

Led by MLA Captain R Tamil Selvan, affected shopkeepers organized a protest march to the ward office, demanding strict action against officials responsible. Vendors are now seeking answers and compensation for the losses they incurred during the demolition.