Mumbai's street food culture has always had a pulse of its own, and nowhere does it beat louder than among college students, office goers and daily workers. Mithibai College and the bustling Khau Galli stretched out in front of it became something of a sacred institution for many. Unfortunately, after over 50 years of service, Mithibai Khau Galli has closed, leaving many former students and regulars to realise how much of their college experience was bound to that one stretch of food stalls.
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Many Mumbai residents find it strange to imagine the neighbourhood without the typical commotion, throng, and aroma of butter, cheese, and coffee. Some individuals grew up there, but many survived college because this food street was their anchor. Food holds memory, and it will always come out in the most broken ways and hit that nail on the head for you when you miss and yearn for belonging that’s all about culinary arts and its magic. The almost 50-year-old alley that had been home to food vendors is now unoccupied to make way for the forthcoming Metro Line 2B station, which will connect D N Nagar in Andheri West to Mandale in Mankhurd.
Why Is Mithibai Khau Galli Shutting Down After 50 Years?
Earlier, a joint survey by the BMC and the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority discovered that the booths were located inside the line of the planned Metro station, and so the BMC initially delivered eviction notices to vendors on November 14, 2025, asking them to demolish their kiosks within seven days or risk destruction.
However, the local body's move was halted because the food stall owners had filed a lawsuit to preserve their structures. The demolitions had begun on March 6 and were completed on May 6, with the site being cleansed of debris last week.
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On top of that, in 2015, the High Court held in petitions brought by Janhit Manch and Shri Vile Parle Kelvani Mandal that vendors preparing food on public roads and sidewalks, such as those at the Mithibai College khau galli, cannot seek protection under the Street Sellers Act. BMC's letters referenced a 2013 Supreme Court order that prohibited peddling within 100 meters of educational institutions and hospitals. The corporation further alleged that the sellers lacked the permits required by Section 313 of the Maharashtra Municipal Corporation Act, 1888.
The High Court, while hearing challenges to BMC's relocation order on April 2, made its position clear that it is a major public infrastructure project which couldn't be held up by a few private petitioners. The court noted that the vendors had waited too long to seek relief and had also turned down all 27 alternative sites offered by the corporation. Given the Metro project's importance, the vendors were given 10 days to vacate with an April 12 deadline. If they failed to comply, the BMC was authorised to demolish the stalls on April 13, take over the land, and hand it to the MMRDA with police assistance if needed.
Why Does The Shutting Down Of Mithibai Khau Galli Feel Personal
From Jini Dosa and sandwiches at Anand Stall to exquisite vada pavs at Dhiraj Stall, the lane was constantly crowded with students and office workers looking for a snack in the middle of a busy day. Many people remember the spot fondly since it was never only about the cuisine, but also the colourful environment and the small moments shared there. Right outside Vile Parle Station, this khau galli opens after 6 pm and offers some mouth-watering gol-gappas,frankies, sandwiches, dosas, pav-bhajis and much more.
Mithibai Khau Galli had become the punctuation of daily life, the reward after a brutal exam, the comfort after a fight with a friend, the excuse to linger a little longer before going home to reality. The vendor who remembers your order, the rickety plastic stool you always claimed, the particular way the butter sizzled on that specific tawa, these small, unremarkable things quietly become the architecture of a time in your life you didn't know you were storing away.