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Vashi2Panvel.Com: Navi Mumbai: November 9: Today when the swanky mall and lavish departmental stores are enjoying national and international prestige, one would have imagined that the humble hawker would be wiped out from the Indian scenario. But no matter how brand conscious we get in life, the simpler pleasures in life never deserts the Indian psyche. Like rummaging through boxes of bindis or earrings in a train. The buys are almost always a steal. There are many who feel that unauthorized hawking and vending should be prohibited firmly as it affects the tax-collection and paradoxically there is also a sect, which favors ‘hawkers’ and call them small time merchants as they supply daily use commodities at a lower price to the common man. Vashi2Panvel.Com talks to some train hawkers and their regular customers to get an insight into this peculiar Bambaiyah style of hawking.

Mankurd resident and train hawker Shahabuddin sells small pouches, safety pins, key rings, soap cases and many more useful items in the local trains running on harbor line. He earns around Rs 300 to 500 in a day by selling daily use stuff in the local trains. “We do not keep good profit of margin as people are not willing to shell out more money in trains”, tells Shahabuddin. He informs further, “What all money we draw from this business goes in buying more goods and we are left with very little to support our self. On top of it, if we are caught by the railway authorities then we have to pay a heavy fine.”

Eighteen-year-old Radika T sells fruits in the local running train between Kurla to Belapur. She states, “I am making a decent livelihood from this business, which does not need any hefty money investment as such. I get around Rs 300 to Rs 450 in a day from this small business. Our only concern is its unauthorized status and if we get the work permit then it will be surely a booming business for people like me.”

Psychology student Rucha Deshmukh, who generally prefers to buy stationary and other small items from local trains feels that the trade going on in the local trains should be licensed as it gives self employment to the people hailing from monetarily weak background besides providing service to the commuters. “I strongly feel that these hawkers should be given work permit to do business in the local trains”, avers Rucha.

Beyond any doubt vending and hawking are a good way to earn a livelihood for people who shrug from huge investment that most of the trade requires these days. This business is certainly giving bread and butter to many people, who are reeling under the financial constraints.

Preeti Gupta