Frequent hawker clashes put New Market traders on edge
Times of India | 19 February 2025
12 Kolkata: New Market, the heart of Kolkata's shopping hub, spanning Bertram Street, Humayun Place, Sudder Street, Madge Lane, Free School Street, Kyd Street, Marquis Street and SN Banerjee Road, has now become synonymous with clashes and chaos between traders and hawkers and different factions of hawkers.
According to traders and regular visitors to the market, these constant clashes—close to 10 in less than a year —are not only disrupting business but also tarnishing the reputation of the 150-year-old heritage market. Heads of various market committees in the area said business had dropped by almost 60% in the last decade or so. Even buyers visiting the market for generations have abandoned it due to the lack of parking space—which has been taken over by hawkers—and the rude behaviour of the vendors.
"People used to associate New Market with shopping, eating and leisure. Now, the market is in the news for violent clashes every other day, which is tarnishing the reputation. The trading community is living in constant fear. It's affecting our business," said Ashok Singh, a trader on Bertram Street.
There were almost 10 clashes in less than a year, either between protesting traders and hawkers or between different factions of hawkers. On Saturday, two factions of hawkers clashed on Bertram Street over turf control. The fight, which spread panic among both shoppers and traders, marked the sixth such incident in two months. On Sunday, two hawkers were attacked and slashed with knives, leading to concerns over the safety of the market and its traders. In June last year, hawkers clashed with traders over removal of hawkers by the administration.
"Hawkers have encroached on prime spaces in front of our shops and driven down sales by selling goods at much lower prices. Traders can't stock goods properly, as the pavements and carriageways have been usurped by vendors. This is creating uneven competition for us," said Afroz Khan, general secretary of Simpark Mall Traders' Association. According to local traders and regular shoppers, who are gradually drifting towards malls and online shopping, the once-bustling shopping hub is now losing its appeal due to tensions and rude behaviour of hawkers.
For traders, like Rajesh Gupta, who has operated in New Market for over 35 years, the economic impact has been bad. "The sales have dropped by almost 60% in the past 10 years. Hawkers undercut prices and block our shops. We can't display our products properly," said Gupta. The situation is compounded by violent turf wars among hawkers. Two factions are engaged in a battle for control over territory, with those on the pavements wanting to remove those occupying the carriageways. "The reason behind this turf war is the amount of business generated here. In the peak season, the business is close to Rs 100 crore. The battle for space has led to frequent clashes," said the head of a market committee.
But the issues facing New Market aren't confined to hawker violence alone. One of the biggest deterrents for shoppers is the lack of parking space, the designated parking areas being encroached upon by hawkers, leaving little room for vehicles. Buyers now head to malls, where parking is available. Many have also shifted to online shopping. "It is just easier to go to a mall these days," said Anjali Das, whose family visited New Market for generations. "There is no parking there, and the chaos makes it not worth the effort."
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