November 6, 2017 through November 19, 2017
Released on: November 25, 2017
Hyderabad bans begging, SUM Net begs to differ.
Georg Simmel felicitously formulated, “Someone who sees without hearing is much more uneasy than someone who hears without seeing.”
Written almost a century ago, it seems a rather facile statement at surface but has deeper resonance. In it, there is something characteristic of the idea and imagination of a city. Unlike the idea of, say a nation, the idea of a city (especially its reincarnation as ‘smart’ and ‘global’ city) has come to be distinguished by a marked preponderance of the visual and the visible. A good city, before anything else, must look good.
It is this hierarchy of senses which has also come to outline the fabric of our cities. Consequently, infrastructure gets prominence over services, development over heritage, high-rise buildings over slums, parking over hawking, and outputs over outcomes. Even interpersonal relationships in cities favour the activity of the eye over the activity of the ear. Public means of transport, places like restaurants and airports have given birth to a situation where people are looking at one another for long duration but hardly speaking.
The fact that the idea of a city is dominated by West ensures that what looks good is also fixed and uniform, notwithstanding the difference in context and history. As a result, the blanket application of such an idea to India meant that activities like farming, hawking, begging could not be clearly categorised, disrupting the system of urbanization. In this sense, these activities became like ‘dirt’, a matter out of place.
In the case of hawking, few landmark judgments (Street Vendors Act, 2014) and movements (NASVI) tried to place it within a broader and proper context, understanding it as a symptom of urban process rather than problem. For though visual in nature, hawking is much more than what meets the eye. It is a matter of employment, a matter of space and a matter of rights.
As Mumbai High Court ordered a ban on hawking on foot overbridges and around 150 meters of Railway Stations, the drive in other cities to evict and crack whip on hawkers even when vending on footpaths, has begun all over again. As we see in this Issue of Media Monitor, the reasons provided vary across cities, with illegality and space encroachment being the most cited reasons. The authoritative narrative is usually a narrative of conflict between the voiceless groups of pedestrians and vendors. However, the general public opinion continues to underline the aesthetics argument.
Reflecting on this, Sujit Patwardhan notes, “The discourse on urban planning, transportation and city design is clearly dominated by vocal elites of illiberal disposition who see the poor, marginalized and dispossessed as parasites enjoying freebies that ought to be denied. They are hence quite happy to see the hawkers and vendors evicted and the place “cleaned up.”
Taking the trope of aesthetics to new heights, Hyderabad Police banned begging saying it causes “nuisance and danger to vehicular traffic and pedestrians”. Given that the order will be in force only till January 7 and has been issued prior to Ivanka Trump’s visit to Hyderabad, SUM Net believes that what has been banned is not begging but beggars; banning beggars to be seen. Also, the order has been issued because more than causing nuisance and danger beggars look like nuisance and danger in a striving to be world-class city like Hyderabad. The order is therefore cosmetic, at best, presented as an origami of socio economic reform.
Dr. C. Ramachandraiah, a SUM Net member from Hyderabad believes, “One has to see these measures of the city police as part of the larger measures by the policy makers at macro level to sanitise the cities of the poor rather than eliminate conditions that generate poverty. The poor are considered an eyesore for the policy makers and elites who want to project these cities as “world class” to the global investors. One never finds even a shred of that determination (to remove the poor) in providing basic amenities like clean drinking water and sanitation, basic education and health facilities to the poor. It’s an ostrich-like mindset where the policy makers imagine the problem to be disappearing by simply closing their eyes.”
-Written by Swati Pathak
SUM-ming up
Apart from the topic of vendors, hawkers and beggars, which comes up as a separate section this Issue forth, in the Issue 9 of Media Monitor, find:
How the struggle of pedestrians continues unabated even in the face of Smart Roads being designed
How increasing number of cycles are being provided but no safety guaranteed
The challenges of the public in public transport
And much more.
| S.No | Transport Category | City | Publication | Date |
| Pedestrians and Footpaths | ||||
| 1. | No footpaths, yet cops plan to take jaywalkers to task | Hyderabad | New Indian Express | 18/11/2017 |
| 2. | Bombay HC on Hancock Bridge | Mumbai | Indian Express The Hindu |
11/11/2017 18/11/2017 |
| 3. | New Kurla Subway Took Just Two Weeks To Look Like A Royal Mess | Mumbai | Mid-day | 14/11/2017 |
| 4. | Don’t expect smooth Mumbai commute soon: 17 years on, FOB at Kurla station is yet to be built |
Mumbai | Hindustan Times | 18/11/2017 |
| 5. | Bellasis Road to be converted into ‘model road’ | Mumbai | Indian Express | 8/11/2017 |
| 6. | बेकार साबित हो रहे 21 बीआरटीएस स्टॉप पर लगे पेडेस्ट्रियन सिग्नल, रेड होने पर नहीं रुकते वाहन | Indore | दैनिक भास्कर | 7/11/2017 |
| 7. | ‘Smart Roads’ to present smart solutions to city | Ranchi | Daily Pioneer | 17/11/2017 |
| 8. | More security in walking zone | Guwahati | Assam Tribune | 16/11/2017 |
| 9. | Dispur has takers among walkers! | Guwahati | The Sentinel | 19/11/2017 |
| 10. | कब बहुरेंगे अल्मोड़ा की आंतरिक सड़कों के दिन | Almora | जागरण | 06/11/2017 |
| 11. | स्ट्रीट लाइट ठप, राहगीर बेहाल | Almora | जागरण | 19/11/2017 |
| Cycling and Cycling Tracks | ||||
| 1. | Pedal back home from Hyderabad Metro stations But where are separate lanes for a safe ride? | Hyderabad | 10/11/2017 19/11/2017 | |
| 2. | Following death of veteran cyclists, city riders call for precautionary measures | Mumbai | DNA | 13/11/2017 |
| 3. | Wait for cycle track along Tansa, BMC misses phase-1 deadline | Mumbai | DNA | 17/11/2017 |
| 4. | Soon, ‘Being Human’ cycles at Marine Drive? | Mumbai | Asian Age | 19/11/2017 |
| 5. | राजधानी में साईकिल शेयरिंग की योजना शुरू होगी | Ranchi | News18 | 16/11/2017 |
| 6. | Healthy gesture: Cycling allowed in Assam zoo | Guwahati | Times of India | 10/11/2017 |
| Public Transport (Buses, BRT) | ||||
| 1. | 24 Metro stations lack access to bus bays, feeder service: Study | Hyderabad | Times of India | 11/11/2017 |
| 2. | Telangana RTC to procure 1175 new buses | Hyderabad | Telangana Today | 15/11/2017 |
| 3. | Accident involving PMPML bus, and its aftermath | Pune | 06/11/2017 07/11/2017 08/11/2017 | |
| 4. | NGO study reveals utility no better in six months | Pune | Times of India | 10/11/2017 |
| 5. | PMC takes Rs 100 crore hit in bus utility’s overall losses | Pune | Times of India | 14/11/2017 |
| 6. | Bus pass rate hike irks commuters | Pune | Times of India | 17/11/2017 |
| 7. | New electric buses of BEST | Mumbai | Hindustan Times Times of India |
11/11/2017 13/11/2017 |
| 8. | BEST AC buses to be back on roads by month-end BEST to auction 259 AC buses | Mumbai | Times of India The Hindu |
12/11/2017 17/11/2017 |
| 9. | Cash-strapped BEST increases fares, curtails benefits for employees | Mumbai | Indian Express | 15/11/2017 |
| 10. | BEST budget proposes 5 dedicated bus corridors | Mumbai | Times of India | 15/11/2017 |
| 11. | BEST set to wet-lease 800 buses, seeks Sena support | Mumbai | Times of India | 18/11/2017 |
| 12. | 191 snags in 7 days throw light on ailing city bus fleet | Nagpur | Times of India | 13/11/2017 |
| 13. | Green buses proving white elephant for NMC | Nagpur | Nagpur Today | 15/11/2017 |
| 14. | मेट्रो ट्रेन की तर्ज पर ई-पास शुरू करेगी एआईसीटीएसएल | Indore | नई दुनिया | 19/11/2017 |
| 15. | Bus Terminal relocation proposal in offing | Ranchi | Daily Pioneer | 12/11/2017 |
| 16. | Bus promise takes college girls for a ride | Ranchi | The Telegraph | 15/11/2017 |
| 17. | Bihar government set to roll out battery-run buses, autos | Patna | Times of India | 17/11/2017 |
| 18. | सरकारी बस स्टैंड पर नहीं लगेंगे निजी वाहन | Gaya | जागरण | 11/11/2017 |
| 19. | बसों से आधे रूट में जबरन उतारी जा रही हैं सवारियां | Shimla | अमर उजाला | 12/11/2017 |
| 20. | आचार संहिता हटते ही पांच रुपए होगा शहर में न्यूनतम बस किराया | Shimla | दैनिक भास्कर | 15/11/2017 |
| Metro | ||||
| 1. | Critical interchange station on Hyderabad metro line completed | Hyderabad | The Hindu | 14/11/2017 |
| 2. | Hyderabad Metro Rail to be disabled-friendly | Hyderabad | The Hindu | 16/11/2017 |
| 3. | A ride on Hyderabad Metro may cost Rs 20, more than other Metros | Hyderabad | Economic Times | 18/11/2017 |
| 4. | ‘Multimodal Integration’: Pune Metro rail routes to be linked with all forms of public transport | Pune | Indian Express | 10/11/2017 |
| 5. | Pune Metro Rail project: Euro 845 mn funding expected to close by March 2018 | Pune | Financial Express | 10/11/2017 |
| 6. | MahaMetro gets advanced possession of 16 hectares | Pune | Times of India | 10/11/2017 |
| 7. | HC threatens to stop Metro III project work | Mumbai | Times of India | 10/11/2017 |
| 8. | Simplex Infra bags Rs. 1080 crore Mumbai metro job | Mumbai | Economic Times | 13/11/2017 |
| 9. | Mumbai Metro 3 construction: 30-35 per cent transplanted trees died, says Bombay HC panel | Mumbai | Indian Express | 15/11/2017 |
| 10. | Metro sends trial run results to RDSO | Nagpur | Times of India | 07/11/2017 |
| Smart City | ||||
| 1. | Smart City eyes Rs.100 crore grant from World Bank | Pune | Pune Mirror | 10/11/2017 |
| 2. | New traffic system to ease commuting system across the city | Pune | Times of India | 10/11/2017 |
| 3. | Task of installation of CCTV cameras at major squares in completion stage | Nagpur | Nagpur Today | 07/11/2017 |
| 4. | इमली बाजार से बाणगंगा तक ६० फीट चौड़ी होगी सड़क | Indore | दैनिक भास्कर | 09/11/2017 |
| 5. | ‘Smart Roads’ to present smart solutions to city | Ranchi | Daily Pioneer | 17/11/2017 |
| 6. | Rs. 106 crore released for Imphal Smart City project | Imphal | Assam Tribune | 17/11/2017 |
| 7. | Company formed for Smart City | Patna | Times of India | 11/11/2017 |
| 8. | Road priority for Smart City | Patna | The Telegraph जागरण |
18/11/2017 |
| Parking | ||||
| 1. | Parking fee policy for city soon: KTR | Hyderabad | The Hindu | 15/11/2017 |
| 2. | Society using recreation ground as parking space | Mumbai | Mumbai Mirror | 6/11/2017 |
| 3. | Fate of 75 Mumbai parking lots in limbo | Mumbai | Times of India | 16/11/2017 |
| 4. | You may soon be able to use mobile app to pay & park your car at BEST bus depot | Mumbai | Hindustan Times | 16/11/2017 |
| 5. | Will CM Fadnavis’ mini market policy worsen parking problem in Nagpur | Nagpur | Nagpur Today | 15/11/2017 |
| 6. | हॉटेल अस्पताल सबने बना ली है पार्किंग | Indore | पत्रिका | 13/11/2017 |
| 7. | शहर के 17 खुले पार्किंग स्थलों को सुधारेगा निगम, 58 लाख हाेंगे खर्च | Indore | दैनिक भास्कर | 13/11/2017 |
| 8. | RMC extends parking duration to 3 hours at MG Marg | Ranchi | Daily Pioneer | 10/11/2017 |
| 9. | आज से मेन रोड में पार्किंग का लगेगा शुल्क | Ranchi | Hindustan Live | 16/11/2017 |
| 10. | Automated parking facility has no takers | Guwahati | The Sentinel | 17/11/2017 |
| 11. | Khwairambandh Keithel ladies not happy with govt’s attitude, Shyamkumar says ground floor to be converted into parking space | Imphal | Imphal Times | 18/11/2017 |
| 12. | Nitish traffic formula to ease congestion | Patna | Telegraph | 18/11/2017 |
| Road Safety | ||||
| 1. | Negligence, phones cause most accidents | Hyderabad | Deccan Chronicle | 9/11/2017 |
| 2. | Death due to faulty speed-breaker: Minister Ranjit Patil asks police chief to examine matter | Pune | Indian Express | 12/11/2017 |
| 3. | No space for pedestrians to walk on Mumbai’s Marve Road, where speeding tempo killed teen | Mumbai | Hindustan Times | 09/11/2017 |
| 4. | 5,000 civilians inducted in ‘traffic guide project’ by Mumbai police to decongest traffic | Mumbai | Free Press Journal | 15/11/2017 |
| 5. | बायपास पर हादसों के 30 से ज्यादा स्पॉट,कागजों पर चल रहा बदलाव | Nagpur | नई दुनिया | 12/11/2017 |
| 6. | आपके शहर का बीआरटीअस होगा हाई–सिक्योरिटी ज़ोन | Nagpur | पत्रिका | 14/11/2017 |
| Hawkers and Vendors | ||||
| 1. | Hyderabad Police Commissioner imposes ban on begging | Hyderabad | Scroll Financial Express |
8/11/2017 15/11/2017 |
| 2. | Hawkers at ESI hospital asked to pack up | Hyderabad | Deccan Chronicle | 9/11/2017 |
| 3. | Illegal hawkers take over BT Kawade road | Pune | Pune Mirror | 07/11/2017 |
| 4. | PMC using Police’s CCTV network to crack whip on errant hawkers | Pune | Pune Mirror | 14/11/2017 |
| 5. | There’s No Alternative Arrangement’: Mumbai Hawkers Rue HC Order | Mumbai | The Quint | 8/11/2017 |
| 6. | Cop-BMC-Neta trio gives cover to hawkers: Citizen activists | Mumbai | DNA | 9/11/2017 |
| 7. | Speak up Mumbai: Reasonable expectation or passing the buck? | Mumbai | DNA | 13/11/2017 |
| 8. | Traffic police evict hawkers from footpaths at Rani Jhansi Square | Nagpur | Times of India | 7/11/2017 |
| 9. | 90 commercial shops in Veer Sawarkar area to be checked | Indore | Times of India | 9/11/2017 |
| Miscellaneous (Pollution, Urban Infrastructure, TOD) | ||||
| 1. | Diesel buses continue to dirty air | Hyderabad | Deccan Chronicle | 07/11/2017 |
| 2. | Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation to raise 1,000 crore through bonds | Hyderabad | Times of India | 15/11/2017 |
| 3. | PMC seeks hike of 4 FSI within 500 metres of Pune Metro areas | Pune | Hindustan Times | 16/11/2017 |
| 4. | Marine Drive to get railings along divider, cycling lane on Sundays | Mumbai | Times of India | 16/11/2017 |
| 5. | NMC, Finland to set up electric vehicle charging stations | Nagpur | Times of India | 13/11/2017 |
| 6. | Start pending road development plans: Gadkari to NMC | Nagpur | Times of India | 19/11/2017 |
| 7. | रांची में बिना फ्लाईओवर के भी मिल सकती है जाम से मुक्ति | Ranchi | जागरण | 12/11/2017 |
| 8. | रांची को मिले दो फ्लाईओवर और दो स्मार्ट रोड, 1029.89 करोड़ से बनेंगे | Ranchi | दैनिक भास्कर | 16/11/2017 |
| 9. | Traffic Woes continue | Imphal | Imphal Times | 11/11/2017 |