Hawkers play cat-&-mouse with police, civic officials
Times of India | 11 July 2024
12 Kolkata: A game is underway in the New Market area and other shopping hubs with hawkers trying to expand their stalls on the sly and cops and civic staff conducting surprise visits to keep encroachments in check. A fortnight after raids and pushbacks saw hawkers across the city fall in line, civic officials said hawkers were attempting to reclaim their space on pavements and roads.While a decision was taken a week ago to allow hawkers to return for the hawker survey, it was not unconditional — cops and civic officials said hawkers and hawkers’ union leaders had been told the return would be allowed if they could conduct business without inconveniencing pedestrians or motorists.
“The hawkers adhered to rules in the middle of last week. But we have been noticing transgressions. The dalas are extending beyond the yellow line on pavements. We now have to be vigilant to prevent a return to the earlier situation,” said a civic official.
On Bertram Street, stalls that used to extend up to 15 ft had retracted to just 5 ft after the drive. In the past five-six days, there have been constant attempts by hawkers to extend the stalls and conduct business on additional space vacated during the drive. To prevent hawkers from reclaiming the road, traffic cops have asked parking attendants to use a space marked across a third of the street.
At Humayun Place, hawkers have gradually extended their stalls on the asphalt and two lines of hawkers were back at the beginning of last week. But since then, there have been drives to push back hawkers to the edge of the pavement. “We were warned not to have a second line of stalls on the road,” said a hawker.
At Hatibagan and Gariahat, too, hawkers appear to be regaining the confidence to encroach but there is some wariness about a fresh drive.
On Tuesday, cops were seen asking hawkers who had displayed their wares beyond the hawking space to retract or face seizure of goods. At Chowringhee Place, the display counter has an overhang that juts out beyond the yellow line. At the Grand Arcade, display racks above the main counter or dala, which had been dismantled last week, are back. “The situation will settle after the survey, when hawkers are rehabilitated,” said a hawkers’ union leader.