After KMC-cop drive, shoppers rediscover parking lot near New Mkt
Times of India | 21 May 2025
12345 Kolkata: A joint drive by the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) and cops on Tuesday cleared carriageways around New Market, paving the way for the return of car parking areas on Bertram Street and Humayun Place. The cops from New Market informed hawker unions to ask the hawkers encroaching upon the roads to shift from the carriageways in and around the heritage market on Monday after mayor Firhad Hakim asked the officer-in-charge to clear the carriageways of encroachment and maintain vigilance for 15 days.Accordingly, a group of policemen conducted a drive and removed the hawkers from Bertram Street. The KMC car parking department officials then asked the agency that was allotted the car parking space on Bertram Street and Humayun Place to resume normal functioning. A TOI team on Tuesday afternoon found cars lined up on Bertram Street as the road became wider after the KMC-cop drive. An attendant of the parking space expressed happiness over the revival of the parking lot on Bertram Street after more than a year."It is heartening that finally the KMC and the cops have taken a hard stance on carriageway encroachment that has resulted in our favour. After a year, we were able to give space to more than a dozen cars on a portion of Bertram Street in an hour. I hope police will continue their vigilance, which will encourage car owners to park their vehicles on carriageways around New Market," said the parking attendant.Traders are equally happy with the anti-encroachment stance taken by the KMC and cops. SS Hogg Market Traders Association president Ashok Gupta welcomed the move but at the same time expressed apprehension about whether the drive will sustain. "It gave us pleasure to watch a wider Bertram Street and the car parking agency getting back its share of allotted space. If the drive continues for a longer period, shoppers will feel encouraged to come to New Market again," said Gupta.However, a section of hawkers who were removed from the carriageways later tried to return to Bertram Street but in vain. "It is unfortunate that we were driven out of Bertram Street. But we will be waiting for an early opportunity to get back to our old space. After all, we can't be sitting back and merely watch a fresh group of hawkers taking over the carriageway space," said Mohammed Akram, a hawker who sells readymade garments.The Hawker Sangram Committee general secretary, who is also a Town Vending Committee member, said he would extend his support to the KMC in keeping the carriageways around New Market encroachment free. "We have no option but to keep the carriageways free of encroachment as decided at the TVC meeting. Any hawker who tries to grab carriageway space will be removed," said Ghosh.A KMC official on Tuesday made it clear that under no circumstances will the carriageways be allowed to be taken over by the hawkers. "We have decided to keep the carriageways free of hawkers and have accordingly asked the cops to maintain constant vigilance," the civic official said.