Day after drive, hawkers back on Bertram St, Humayun Place
Times of India | 8 May 2025
12 Kolkata: A day after an anti-encroachment drive was launched to drive out hawkers encroaching on the carriageways around New Market, a section of hawkers on Wednesday returned to Bertram Street and Humayun Place. A survey by a TOI team revealed that while evicted hawkers were yet to get back to their carriageway space on Hogg Street, the scene was just the reverse on Bertram Street and Humayun Place.You Can Also Check: Kolkata AQI | Weather in Kolkata | Bank Holidays in Kolkata | Public Holidays in KolkataOn Bertram Street, the parking space was taken over by floating hawkers. The scene was similar at Humayun Place. According to a KMC official, cops were supposed to be doing rounds to prevent hawkers from encroaching on the carriageways. "We started a special drive on Tuesday to clear the carriageways along with the cops as advised by the Town Vending Committee. The cops were told to keep a vigil on the hawkers as it was apprehended that a section of hawkers would try to regain their position. We will need to conduct a fresh drive on Thursday," said a KMC official.According to Saktiman Ghosh, a hawker union leader and a TVC member, both the KMC and the cops were asked to conduct a joint operation to clear the carriageways around New Market as per a TVC resolution,. "It was very surprising that a day after a combined drive, there were no cops to checkthe return of the hawkers," said Ghosh. Sources said KMC would rope in its Halla brigade and keep its vehicles stationary from Thursday.