India, April 4 -- In a joint enforcement drive, officials of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and the police cracked down on spice traders in Lalbaug's popular "mirchi galli", acting on complaints of congestion and public inconvenience.

Civic teams seized some chilies and other spices laid out on the streets and directed shopkeepers to move their stock indoors. Officials from the F-south ward (Parel, Lalbaug, Naigaon, Sewri, and Cotton Green) said the action followed repeated complaints about roads being choked due to heavy footfall and encroachments in the busy market stretch. "We will continue the drive in the coming days," an official said.

Residents have long flagged issues during the summer months, when spices are dried...