Defiant hawkers challenge New Market eviction deadline
Times of India | 2 December 2024
123 Kolkata: Hawkers continued to occupy the carriageways around Hogg Market on Sunday, the last day of the 72-hour ultimatum given to New Market Police to remove hawkers from the area. They vowed to confront any attempts of forcible removal by any authorities from Monday.
"I have been doing business here for 20 years. How can I suddenly shift my business elsewhere? We are here to stay, and if anyone tries to forcibly remove us, we will confront and oppose such attempts," said Md Zeeshan, who sells ladies' handbags on Bertram Street.
Another hawker, Sk Sonu, said they have already discussed the situation with their seniors, who assured them that even if the police force them out on Monday, they can return in a day or two. "We will not create any ruckus. If they force us to move or seize our materials, we will protest peacefully. But we have been assured we can come back to our spot again in a day or two after the encroachment drive is over," he said.
The Town Vending Committee of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) on Thursday served a 72-hour ultimatum to New Market Police to remove hawkers who had encroached upon the carriageways and a substantial portion of pavements in and around New Market recently. The decision was taken during the TVC meeting at the KMC headquarters on Thursday, and it insisted that police should be stringent with the encroachers.
A senior Kolkata Police officer said they will start Monday's fresh eviction drive from 11.30 am. "We have our teams ready, and we will seize the materials from any hawkers who try to set up their stalls on the carriageway. If they try to stop us, they will even be arrested," said the officer.
On Sunday, TOI walked around the hawking hotspots of Bertram Street, Humayun Place, Hogg Street, Lindsay Street, and Chowringhee Place to find hawkers taking over carriageways and footpaths alike. At Humayun Place, the hawkers stayed till the edge of footpaths during the morning, but by evening they were all over the carriageways. At Bertram Street, a stall owner, Md Akhtar, who had his wares hung around the pavement, also set up an extended stall encroaching on the carriageway. "We have seen many such drives in our career. They come and go, but we are here to stay," said Akhtar.
Debasis Das, a senior functionary of a hawker union in New Market and also a member of the Town Vending Committee, stressed that it is crystal clear that no hawker is allowed to occupy the carriageways. "Of late, we have been noticing that some hawkers have taken over carriageways in and around New Market, especially on Bertram Street. According to a decision taken by the Town Vending Committee, the police are supposed to push back any such attempt to encroach on the roads. I don't know where the hawkers are still getting the courage to encroach upon the roads. The police should be more vigilant."
SS Hogg Market Traders Association's Ashraf Ali said, "If the errant hawkers don't listen to the police, how can we expect they will listen to us? The Town Vending Committee should ensure that hawkers are not allowed to encroach on carriageways afresh."
A senior police officer said there have been multiple such drives in the past where they seized materials and arrested the hawkers. "They, however, get bail and again pick up wares from dealers on credit and return to do business," said the officer.