Are cities expected to be hawker-free? Not really, because providing space for street vending to make it a win-win situation for both hawkers and consumers is a basic requirement in town planning. However, hawking has to be legal and regulated by law, ruthless in a manner, if need be, so that business on streets does not hamper pedestrian and vehicular traffic, or, in places like Mumbai, cause stampedes.

Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray had appropriated the issue of illegal hawking in view of the Elphinstone station stampede and given Indian Railways 15 days to remove vendors. The deadline ended on Saturday and Raj's threat materialised, as MNS workers were seen forcibly evicting hawkers from stations and crowded market areas.