KOLKATA: Streets, railway platforms, and footpaths are meant for the public. Yet, for decades, these very spaces have also served as places for thousands of street vendors and hawkers who solely depend on them to earn a living. For years, we have seen lands, including railway pavements and footpaths, encroached upon by hawkers. What happens next? Vendors occupying these areas receive a notice to vacate within 30 days. Those who fail to comply often face large-scale eviction drives, with makeshift stalls dismantled and, in some cases, bulldozers deployed to clear the occupied land.
It has been more than a month since the eviction drives began by the newly formed BJP government in West Bengal, directing the state police, railway authorities, and civic officials to clear unauthorised structures from pavements, railway land, and other public spaces. While many have welcomed the move, saying that it will be beneficial for the public, social activists have alleged that proper guidelines were not followed while carrying out the eviction drive.
TNIE visited some places where the eviction was carried out and spoke to a few displaced hawkers whose primary source of livelihood depended on these small-scale businesses across the railway stations and footpaths.
Rana Roy, CPI(M) district member of North 24 Parganas, said, “The displaced hawkers have gone to their native villages as they haven’t found any other alternative place for continuing their business.” When asked about the recent stay order by the Calcutta High Court on the eviction drives, Roy said, “Despite the stay order, there is little that can be done for the hawkers whose shops have already been demolished. Those fortunate enough are continuing their businesses, but they, too, remain in a state of uncertainty.”
The displaced ones and their relocation
Large encroachment drives have been carried out since the second week of May. The initial demolition drive was carried out near Topsia-Tiljala belt of Kolkata, followed by large-scale eviction drives near major railway stations, including Howrah, Uttarpara, Bally, Sealdah, Dum Dum, Park Circus, Ballygunge, and Jadavpur. According to the Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Bill, 2014, before serving the notice period to the hawkers and street vendors, they should be given a rehabilitation space that will not compromise their profit share of business, which they used to gain earlier.
When asked about the alternate spaces, a fish seller from Uttarapara said, “We sit beside the debris of our shops. We have not been allotted any alternate space as of now. We have been given some time by the rail authorities to look for alternate places, and till then we are allowed to do our business only until 10 am.”
When asked about how his business has been affected, he adds, “I am facing severe losses from the past two months. During the morning, most people are in a hurry to catch local trains to their workplaces. People buy fish mostly after returning from work in the evenings, but we are not allowed to continue our business after 10 am.”
Another hawker, Ramkrishna Pandit, who used to sell lottery tickets at Sonarpur railway station, said, “When the BJP government came into power, they assured us that they wouldn’t demolish anything and told us that they would work for our development. But within a month, our shops were demolished. I used to stand near my 3X3 table and sell tickets to my customers. Today, my table lies there amidst the rubble, and I have to sit at home with no job. I want to continue the education of my two kids.”
Eviction drives are not new in West Bengal. It has happened during the Left and the TMC government regime also. One of the most discussed eviction drives was ‘Operation Sunshine’ conducted in 1996 by the CPI(M) government. The operation was spearheaded by the then transport minister Subhas Chakroborty and Kanti Ganguly. The move was intended to maintain the beauty of the city, as hawkers had been taking up spaces in Gariahat and Shyambazar. The Jyoti Basu-led CPI(M) government rehabilitated the hawkers from Gariahat to Sukantu Setu Hawkers Market.
"The Left government provided us with this rehabilitation place-Jadavpur’s Sukantu Setu Hawkers Market. Now, when we have chosen this government, they are demolishing our shops. I have seen three governments come and go in front of me. Oder sathe aamra dourate parbo na, amra sadharon manush, khete khawa manush. (We can’t run with the changing government; we are the common people, and we save each penny to afford a living),” says 65-year-old Kamal Saha, who has been a hawker in Jadavpur for the last 30 years.
When asked about the ongoing case in Calcutta High Court, Saha said, “We had, and we will continue to fight for our rights. I am 65-years-old. I don’t know how long I will be able to fight, but I will fight till my last breath.”
Protests and arrests of leaders
The anti-encroachment drive turned violent on the intervening night of June 7 and 8 when the police arrested at least three CPI(M) leaders, including All India General Secretary of SFI Srijan Bhattaacharya and veteran leader Sujan Chakraborty. Protestors affiliated with various political parties, social activists, locals, and hawker unions had gathered in large numbers near the Jadvapur area against the railway authorities carrying out the bulldozer act near the Jadavpur railway station. A large number of protestors were also injured and were admitted to the KPC Medical College in Jadavpur.
Former Chief Minister of West Bengal Mamata Banerjee also staged a protest along with TMC stalwarts, Beleghata MLA Kunal Ghosh and former MP Dola Sen. The party took to the streets on June 18 and marched for about 1 kilometre from Esplanade to Subodh Mullick Square. Describing the eviction drive of hawkers as illegal, unjust and deeply inhumane, Banerjee said, “The people of West Bengal have always come first.”
Respite till Durga Puja?
Following large-scale protests over the eviction, the Calcutta High Court had to intervene and put a stay on the eviction of hawkers till 31 July. But whether the order is being followed by the concerned authorities is a question. Many hawkers in the Dumdum Cantonment, Barackpore, Uttarpara, Sealdah and Howrah railway stations have alleged that despite the stay order, they are still being harassed by the rail authorities to vacate the land. “I pay a monthly fee of Rs 200 to the Kolkata Municipal Corporation for a trade licence. Despite this, we are surrounded by uncertainty as we do not know whether they will ask us to vacate or not,” said a hawker at Sealdah Railway Station.
Recently, West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendhu Adhikari assured the hawkers' union that there will be no eviction drive till Durga Puja, scheduled in October this year. The assurance was provided by Adhikari to the members of the Hawkers’ Joint Action Committee during a grievance meet in Janatar Durbar on July 5.
Although street vendors heaved a sigh of relief, Suvendhu Adhikari said he could not commit to anything about the railway encroachments, as they fall under the central government. “Since the CM did not issue a public circular regarding what he said during the grievance meet, we cannot show any proof to the concerned authorities. The notices that have been pasted earlier have not been removed, due to which hawkers are still unsure whether they can continue their business or not. On July 11, a large number of roadside stalls near Fansitala More on Belilious Road in Howrah were also removed,” said CITU secretariat members, Asit Kumar Sen.
Has something changed for public?
One of the main reasons behind the massive encroachment drive near railway stations was to make the platforms and pavements easier for daily commuters. “I have been using local trains since schooltime. These shops always used to be my last-minute shopping spots for school essentials. Be it stationery items, maps, or anything. Now, after long hours of shift at school, the daily train journey takes me at least 1 hour. I used to rely on these platform shops to get some snack items at a lower price. But now with all the shops demolished, I have to go to the food plaza where prices are comparatively higher, and at times it is not affordable for a common man,” said Pritha, a practising teacher at Sodepur.
The debate over encroachment is not only about reclaiming public spaces—it is also about safeguarding the livelihoods of thousands who depend on them. While footpaths and non-crowded railway platforms benefit commuters, the loss of income without proper rehabilitation also throws the lives of many hawkers under the wheels of a bulldozer.