While taking the shops in the CSMT subway on lease back in 2001, most of the shopkeepers who currently run their business there, had no idea that 14 years down the line the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) would change its mind and decide to get the premises vacated in a bid to decongest the space. Now, the owners of more than 46 shops and their staff members stare at nothing but a state of joblessness and sense a fear of losing their livelihoods.

Legal battle on

The civic body had leased out the shops in the subway based on an agreement, which clearly states that after the first 10 years, the individual agreements and rent would be revised every five years. All the shopkeepers had paid a royalty of around Rs 12-15 lakh each. In July 2015, municipal commissioner Ajoy Mehta decided to not renew the agreements, as they wanted to decongest the subway to ease movement of people.