Encroachers crowd pavements around Med College, emergency dept entrance worst-hit
Times of India | 14 February 2025
123 Kolkata: Despite several attempts by Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) to free Medical College of encroachers, hawkers lay siege to the hospital, much to the harassment of patients and their families. A visit by a TOI team revealed that although a section of hawkers is trying afresh to encroach on the pavements around the campus, it is the entrance to the hospital's emergency department that has been the worst affected by rampant encroachment.
Fruit sellers and food vendors are seen doing brisk business on both sides of the emergency gate. A tea stall with the state govt's logo has opened up, occupying 70% of the pavement at the spot. The stall selling tea, mineral water, and soft drinks is being run by a hawker who claims to have valid documents. However, when asked to produce them, the owner couldn't.
Tapan Mondal, a retired KMC official who lives nearby, lamented how hawkers returned to the spot even after an eviction drive by KMC and cops. "Can anyone think of a hospital emergency gate that is getting increasingly encroached upon by hawkers? More than 70% of the pavement near the gate has been eaten up by hawkers due to lack of vigilance by civic authorities and cops," said Mondal.
Saktiman Ghosh, Hawker Sangram Committee chief and a member of the Town Vending Committee, conceded it was a mystery how the stall that occupies the lion's share of the pavement was allowed to continue business even after an inspection by TVC members led by Debasish Kumar, its co-chairman and an MMiC, a year ago. "At the time of the inspection, it was decided to ask the stall owner either to produce valid papers or move out. But no attempt has been made to compel the stall owner to shift," said Ghosh.
Another TVC member and a hawker union leader Debasish Das expressed surprise over the delay in shifting hawkers from several gates that lead to the medical college campus. "We have given our consent to a drive at the Medical College area to drive out encroachers without delay," said Das.