KMC upset with fresh hawker invasion, seeks 10-day vigil on New Market area
Times of India | 9 May 2025
Kolkata: Upset with fresh hawker invasion on Bertram Street and Humayun Place, the Kolkata Municipal Corporation on Thursday asked cops to keep constant vigil on the hawking hub around New Market. Three weeks after a Town-Vending Committee (TVC) nod to clear encroachment on carriageways around New Market, cops and KMC on Tuesday conducted a special anti-encroachment drivein and around the grade-I heritage market. Cops from Lalbazar joined local cops from New Market and a KMC team in the pushback drive on Bertram Street, Humayun Place, Lindsay Street, Hogg Street, and Marquis Street.Unlike earlier anti-encroachment drives, the TVC this time involved the KMC solid waste management department's Halla Brigade to take part in the drive and get their vehicles parked at the vulnerable points around New Market.However, on Wednesday, the scenario changed with a section of hawkers taking control of the carriageways on Bertram Street and Humayun Place in the absence of cops or the KMC Halla Brigade. Taking note of the emerging situation, municipal secretary Swapan Kundu on Thursday wrote to the officer-in-charge of New Market police station, asking him to ensure proper vigil is maintained in and around the heritage market for the next 10 days. After receipt of this letter, cops from New Market police station conducted a drive on Bertram Street and Humayun Place on Thursday evening and cleared the carriageways of encroachment.Sources in the KMC said a decision was taken to keep a close eye on the hawkers who grabbed the carriageways despite a TVC decision not to allow any venfors to encroach on the carriageways. "We have asked cops to keep a close vigil on the carriageways around New Market as we suspect a section of hawkers will try to regain their space on Bertram Street, Humayun Place, and Hogg Street. We will ask KMC to keep their Halla Brigade vehicles parked for some more days so that any attempts to grab carriageways afresh are thwarted," said a TVC member.Hawker Sangram Committee general secretary Saktiman Ghosh supported the drive against encroachment. "Time and again, I warned hawkers against grabbing carriageways. All my requests fell on deaf ears," said Ghosh.SS Hogg Market Traders Association Secretary Ashraf Ali expressed relief but sounded a note of caution. "Everytime we see a cat and mouse game between the cops and the hawkers for some days after such special drives. Hope this time, KMC and cops will be more vigilant and discourage slow but steady grabbing of carriageways in and around the heritage market. Otherwise, we will be compelled to take to the streets," said Ali.