Cops’ morning pushback frees up New Mkt zone but hawkers return in evening
Times of India | 30 November 2024
Kolkata: Police on Monday hit the streets around New Market and asked hawkers to vacate the carriageway. The Town Vending Committee that is meant to regulate hawkers had set a 72-hour deadline for New Market police to push back hawkers who had grabbed the carriageway. The encroachments had flared up trouble between rival hawker unions.
New Market police said they would strive to remove hawkers from Bertram Street, Humayun Place and Lindsay Street.
"We started the drive at Bertram Street on Friday morning so that shoppers could park their cars in the designated lots and they are not usurped by hawkers. Around a dozen hawkers were removed from the road," said an officer.
However, when TOI visited streets around New Market, the difference wasn't visible. By evening, hawking was underway on Bertam Street and Hogg Street in full sway. If any one had been removed, they were clearly back.
"The hawkers who had forcibly taken up prime hawking space on Bertram Street, Humayun Place, Lindsay Street, and Hogg Street were asked to vacate the carriageways on Friday morning. They obliged, but returned during peak business hour in the evening," said a KMC official.
Aware that it would be a "difficult" cat-and-mouse game in the run-up to Christmas and New Year festivity a month away, police said they were trying to identify the truant hawkers. "We are recording the faces of the hawkers and comparing them with footage taken during the enumeration drive a few months ago to check fresh encroachers. Prosecutions under BNS will also be done regularly," said a cop. Sources said cops and civic officials were considering regular joint inspections. South traffic guard has been asked to ensure constant movement of vehicles on Bertram Street, Humayun Place and Lindsay Street.