Permission mandatory to set up stalls on private land: Lonavala civic body

Thousands of tourists, mainly from Mumbai, visit spots in and around Lonavala during the monsoon every year.

Date: July 8, 2024

For the safety of tourists and visitors, the Lonavala Municipal Council (LMC) has now made it mandatory to take permission to set up stalls on private land at picnic spots in and around the city.

This step was taken by the civic administration after the death of five people near Bhushi Dam last week. Moreover, following this incident, illegal stalls on the railway land near Bhushi dam were razed in the same week. The police provided protection to the civic body during the anti-encroachment drive. However, officials believe that hawkers are likely to set up stalls again on private land.

LMC top officials stated that crowd management is imperative, considering the increasing number of visitors in the monsoon period. So, it is necessary to keep a check on such locations to avoid mishaps.

The civic body is not against stall owners but wishes to regularize their activities to maintain the situation as the safety and security of visitors is essential, officials further added.

LMC officials further claimed that private operators had been illegally running their businesses near the dam for decades. Now, they are not ready to follow the rules. They have earned good revenue from these stalls but did not give any revenue to LMC in the past. Hence, they should not hesitate to pay charges to the council and abide by the rules.

The LMC should issue licenses to those who will not cause any trouble to tourists at these spots. Eventually, it should create a conducive atmosphere for visitors and regulating agencies, said a senior police officer.