07 September,2026 11:01 PM IST | Mumbai | Abhitash Singh
The drive will involve removing unauthorised hawkers and other obstructions while shifting authorised hawkers from footpaths to alternative locations, NMMC said. Pic/videograb (Special Arrangement)
The Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) has launched a city-wide drive to remove encroachments and other obstructions from footpaths, following the Supreme Court's recent recognition of obstruction-free footpaths as a right of citizens.
NMMC Commissioner Dr Kailas Shinde personally inspected the ongoing action in Vashi and Nerul on Monday, signalling that the civic body plans to continue the exercise rather than treat it as a routine anti-encroachment operation.
Shinde visited Vashi Sectors 9 and 10 and Nerul Sectors 29, 3 and 30, where civic teams were taking action against hawkers and other encroachments on pedestrian pathways and marginal spaces.
The commissioner had earlier held a special meeting with civic officials and instructed all department offices to prepare action plans for a coordinated campaign to keep footpaths free from obstructions.
According to the NMMC, the drive will involve removing unauthorised hawkers and other obstructions while shifting authorised hawkers from footpaths to alternative locations.
Ward offices have been instructed to survey footpaths along roads, identify vulnerable stretches and prioritise locations requiring immediate action. Dedicated teams have been formed to implement the campaign.
The civic administration said the objective is not simply to clear footpaths temporarily but to ensure that pedestrian spaces remain accessible and usable.
The move comes amid growing concerns that encroachments often force pedestrians to walk on roads, creating inconvenience and increasing safety risks.
The NMMC said the drive will continue across all ward offices and efforts will be made to ensure that the results are sustained.
Shinde was accompanied during the inspection by Additional Commissioner Dr Rahul Gethe, Deputy Commissioner of the Encroachment Department Sanjay Shinde, Deputy Commissioner of Circle 1 Dr Amol Palve and Deputy Commissioner of Solid Waste Management Dr Ajay Gadade.
Assistant Commissioners and ward officials, including Sukhdev Yedve from Vashi and Dr Anuradha Babar from Nerul, were also present.
Separately, NMMC Mayor Sujata Patil has directed the civic administration to undertake a campaign against the sale and use of intoxicating and narcotic substances.
