Hyderabad: Footpath 'mamool raj' reigns supreme at Charminar market

Hyderabad: The footpath 'Mamool Mafia', operating around Charminar is troubling poor daily street-side hawkers. Several hundreds of hawkers on the Nayapul – Charminar stretch are being harassed by the mafia. This illegal activity is increasing day-by-day in one of the major markets, 'Charminar market', in the Old City. Hawkers said mafia gangs are collecting Rs 200 and more a day from each; if they refuse to pay, the goons harass them.

Over 4,000 hawkers, including minors, do business on roads leading to Charminar, near and around the monument, including Laad Bazar, Gulzar Houz, Shalibanda, Pathergatti, Madina Building. On footpaths from Nayapul to Shalibanda roadside hawkers are facing harassment.

According to reliable sources, goons and pehalwans (mafia) are extorting 'mamools' or protection money from the hawkers. There are over 8-10 gangs which have divided their spots on the Nayapul – Charminar stretch. The gangs collect money from each hawker every day or weekly (Rs 200 and above) depending on the hawker's business.

Sources said generally shopkeepers in the Charminar market stretch give some space to hawkers to park their stands or pushcarts to do business in front of the shop and collect a minimum amount as rent. This fee or a rent can range between Rs 100 and Rs 200, going up to Rs 500 in some locations, depending on the product the hawker sells and where the shop is located. Hawkers are being forced to pay money to shopkeeper as rent and also to the mamool gangs.

"Shopkeepers are collecting a small fee for allowing us to peddle goods in front of their shops. But these gangs are collecting money in the name of protection. If we don't pay or delay the payment they harass us and not allow us to park our stand or a pushcart at the spot," said Jahangir, a hawker at Charminar.

Moreover, in the market stretch where no shops are located and hawkers park their stands and pushcarts, they are being charged huge amounts by the mamool gangs. "Depending on what goods the hawkers sell, the gangs ask them the mamool. One has to pay them protection money. There is no other way. The hawker has to pay the amount daily or weekly sometimes. When we are unable to pay, they abuse and threaten us. There is none to listen to our problems," said a hawker on the condition of anonymity. He said "they had a strong-armed youths who extort money from us.They also manage the police."

Each day, after shelling out space rent and mamool, a hawker who occupies a good spot can take home between Rs 800 and Rs 1,200. And at some spots, hawkers generally face loss after paying rent and mamool. "Most times we face hardships to meet daily expenses. We make enough money on some days, specially on weekends," said a hawker.

A few months back, Charminar MLA Mumtaz Ahmed Khan, along with corporator Syed Sohail Quadri, visited the market and asked hawkers not to pay any mamool. Recently several incidents were reported in the market. There was a fight between the mamool mafia and hawkers. The police had also registered a case; some gang members were sent to remand.