India, Aug. 26 -- In a bid to clear encroachments in the pedestrian underpass at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) junction, the BMC issued notices to all the 50 shops there last week, demanding an assurance within three days that none of their belongings or furniture would exceed their premises. By Monday, most of the shops had responded to the civic body and acted in accordance.

Nonetheless, hawkers not associated with the shops started flooding the subway to sell goods towards the evening, emphatic that the order did not apply to them.

"All the shops were given notices, as many of them used to lay their goods out for display to sell them," said Rajendra Khurt, chairman of Swami Samarth, the association that overlooks th...