The Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) on Wednesday discussed a proposal to stop the entry of cars on two roads around New Market after 6pm so hawkers can sit on the roads and sell their ware.
The proposal by Kolkata’s town vending committee said no hawker should be allowed to sit on Bertram Street and Humayun Place till 6pm. But after that, the hawkers may be allowed to sit on the roads as part of a “night market”.
Debashis Kumar, the co-chairperson of the vending committee and a mayoral council member of the KMC, told Metro that the proposal would be placed before the mayoral council of the KMC. If the mayoral council approves it, the state government’s nod will be sought.
“This is still a proposal and no decision has been taken. We will place it before the mayoral council of the KMC and then before the state government,” said Kumar.
The committee has been empowered by the Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act 2014 as the
sole authority to decide how to regulate street vendors in a town or city.
The committee for Kolkata is made up of street vendors, civic officials, NGOs and police officers, among others.
“The proposal given by the committee says that only those who sit on the pavement can open their stalls in the morning and afternoon. Those who are sitting on the roads will not be allowed to open the stalls till 6pm. But thereafter, they can sit on the two roads as no cars will be allowed to enter the roads. The proposal is to allow night markets on these two roads,” said Debasish Das, a hawker leader and member of the town vending committee.
The KMC and the police drew yellow lines on the pavements along Humayun Place, Lindsay Street, Bertram Street and Chowringhee Place on the night of January 6,
demarcating two-thirds width of the sidewalks that should be free for pedestrians. Hawkers can set up stalls in the remaining space. But the hawkers are still sitting on the roads.
The hawkers have told this newspaper that there are so many of them that the pavements are not enough to accommodate all.
The option of having a night market where hawkers are allowed to sit on roads after 6pm is being thought of as an alternative.
The street vending rules — framed by the state government — say hawkers cannot sit on a road and no stall can encroach on any portion of a road.
Besides, the hawkers have to restrict themselves to a third of the width of pavements and leave the rest free for pedestrians.