Salt Lake hawkers, civic body play cat & mouse

KOLKATA: Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation is stuck in a cat-and-mouse game with hawkers. The encroachers who had earlier been evicted from pavements across Salt Lake have adopted new measures to conduct business.
The pavements along main thoroughfares like 1st Avenue, Broadway and 3rd Avenue moving parallel to Central Park are mostly clear from encroachments, as the hawkers have been targeting the sidewalks inside various blocks.Around hundred such hawkers are scattered across the township.
The hawkers who were evicted from spots near Karunamoyee, EE Block, Central Park and Baisakhi have been conducting business temporarily. They come during the day with tarpaulins, vans and umbrellas and pack up and leave by the evening to dodge civic officials, only to return the next day.
In some cases, hawkers have occupied the pavements on the opposite side of the same road they were evicted from.TOIfound that some hawkers who were evicted from the sidewalk on DK Block near Karunamoyee crossing have now occupied the pavement on DL Block.
At Karunamoyee, the civic authorities had cleared the entire pavement opposite Central Park. However, a few hawkers are back on their spots selling snacks and tea during the day.
“What will we do? The civic authorities have not rehabilitated us anywhere. This is our only means of earning our daily bread,” said a woman who runs a temporary tea stall near Karunamoyee during the day.
The civic authorities, however, have been conducting surprise raids to evict such encroachers. Last week, some evicted hawkers — who returned to pavements surrounding Central Park and EE Block — were removed.
“The civic authorities are doing their bit. The residents have also come forward to help the civic body ensure that the hawkers do not return to the township,” said Bidhannagar Welfare Association secretary Kumar Shankar Sadhu.
The civic body will continue to be strict. “We are abiding by the high court’s direction. The pavements are for free movement of pedestrians as the roads are for vehicles. We will continue our drive to keep the sidewalks in Salt Lake free from encroachments,” said Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation mayor Sabyasachi Dutta