NMMC rules peeve newspaper vendors

Newspaper vendors in Navi Mumbai are a worried lot these days. Organised under the aegis of Navi Mumbai Vratta Patra Vikreta Sudharak Sangh, they are planning to go on a strike to oppose Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation's (NMMC) stipulation on time restriction and prohibition of sale of magazines on newspaper stalls.

"We will meet the civic authorities after October 2, and if the issue is not resolved, we may go on a strike. Our demand includes that newspaper shops be allowed to work as per their earlier timings. Also, these people (the corporation) should understand that the magazines that we sell are news magazines," said P R Bhatt, chairman, Navi Mumbai Vratta Patra Vikreta Sudharak Sangh.

Bhatt said the Sangh had met on Sunday to discuss the issue. The vendors said that the NMMC had asked them to keep their operations closed from 11 am to 4 pm. Further, the vendors have been asked to cart away their establishments after their daily work is over.

"The officials have asked us to remove our shops entirely, which is absolutely impossible. Besides, if we shut our shops between 11 am and 4 pm, how would we able to sell afternoon newspapers? Moreover, this is the peak time when office goers buy newspapers," said Bhatt.

He said installing and lifting the entire set up daily would leave a vendor with little time for actual business.

Voicing similar concern, a local vendor, Balaji said, "I open my shop at 9 am in the morning and it takes nearly an hour to set the shop. So, I will be left with barely an hour for actual business."

He said if newspapers were not sold during the day, there was no point opening the shop in the evening because nobody would purchase a morning newspaper in the evening.

The NMMC commissioner and the deputy commissioner were not available for comments on the issue.

The entire stretch of Navi Mumbai - from Vashi to Panvel - has about 150-200 newspaper shops selling around 50,000 copies per day. On an average, a vendor sells 500-600 copies and earns Rs 600 a day.