Act against illegal 'Shiv Vada Pav' stalls: HC tells MCGM

The Bombay High Court today directed the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM) to initiate action against all illegal 'Shiv Vada Pav' stalls across the city within three months.
A division bench of Chief Justice Manjula Chellur and Justice M S Sonak was hearing a public interest litigation filed by NGO Janseva Mandal.
The petitioner alleged that there are over 250 'Shiv Vada Pav' stalls across the megapolis, which are operating without license and cooking food in the open.
The petition pointed out that a recent High Court order had banned cooking in illegal stalls and carts in the city, as it was not permissible under the Food Safety rules.

The bench directed the civic body to take action against all those stalls which are operating without license from the concerned authority and submit a compliance report after 12 weeks.
As per the plea, in 1995, the Maharashtra government launched a scheme named 'Zunkha Bhakar Kendra', to provide wholesome food at subsidised rates to the people.
The scheme was dropped in 2000 due to blatant misuse by stall operators. The same year, a new scheme titled 'Shiv Vadapav' was floated, but was not approved. Even then, the stalls and carts mushroomed across the city, the PIL claimed.
The petition sought directions to MCGM to remove all such illegal 'Shiv Vada Pav' stalls.