Kolkata: It appeared to be a journey back in time in the streets around New Market, with streets and pavements free of encroachment after nearly two decades. Shoppers at New Market were pleasantly surprised by the dramatic turnaround, but shopkeepers at New Market are keeping their fingers crossed.While the KMC carried out a hawker eviction drive in Fenwick Bazaar Street and Dutta Lane on Saturday after chief minister Suvendu Adhikari flagged the encroachment around New Market by hawkers a day earlier, cops said the absence of hawkers on Chowringhee Place, Hogg Street and Bertram Street on Monday was owing to security reasons as the CM had a programme to attend at the civic headquarters that overlooks New Market. Sources said that even before the CM read the riot act on hawker encroachment, a message had gone out to hawkers around New Market from police that they would have to vacate the roads within a month and streamline the stalls on the pavement to ensure that there was enough space for pedestrians.New Market traders, who have been crying hoarse against the encroachment of car parking lots and carriageway by hawkers that has severely impacted business in the heritage market, said Monday heralded a refreshing change.“On Monday, hawkers were nowhere to be seen on a stretch of Bertram Street and Hogg Street. The road appeared wide. Motorists were able to easily drive through without fear of hitting pedestrians and hawkers jostling for roadspace. Parking was available aplenty,” said SS Hogg Market Traders’ Association joint secretary Ashraf Ali.Civic officials said that while hawkers may return on Tuesday, a drive will soon be carried out to clear the roads of hawkers for good, as CM Adhikari stated in no uncertain terms on Friday.The local administration on Monday made a public announcement near Behala Market, asking hawkers to stay away from roads with their wares. They were requested to remove their wares voluntarily. However, no date of eviction has been fixed yet. Traffic cops said they have already initiated measures to remove illegal parking from the vicinity. tnn
