Calcutta High Court on Friday directed the Calcutta Municipal Corporation (KMC) and police to ensure that two-thirds of the pavement in front of the iconic Oberoi Grand Hotel at Esplanade in the heart of the city is kept hawker-free.

The court said EIH Limited, which owns Oberoi Grand, may move the appropriate forum on its prayer for a direction to the state authorities restraining all kinds of hawking from the frontage of the hotel as it is a grade-one heritage building.

The civic body filed a report before the court stating that the pavement in front of Oberoi Grand has been demarcated in the presence of its officials, New Market police station and members of the Town Vending Committee to ensure that two-thirds of the pavement is earmarked for free movement of pedestrians and one-third is restricted to the vendors.

Justice Amrita Sinha directed the KMC and New Market police station to keep strict vigil to ensure that the demarcation is strictly followed and vendors do not encroach upon the area of the pavement earmarked for pedestrians.

Advocate for the petitioner, aggrieved by the demarcation that has been made, submitted that at least 22 feet on each side of the main entrance should be kept clear and ought not to be blocked by the vendors to maintain the safety and security of the hotel.

He submitted that following the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, in which several hotels also targeted, the municipal authorities here had taken steps to shift hawkers at least 20 feet from the hotel's gate.

Disposing of the petition, the court directed that the petitioner can approach the town vending committee for shifting the demarcation in front of the main entrance of the hotel.

The lawyer representing EIH Ltd submitted that it had in its petition prayed for a direction to the state authorities restraining all kinds of hawking on this arcade.

He said when advertisements are not allowed without permission, hawking cannot also be permitted as it blocks the facade of the grandiose British-era building.

Stating that the petitioner's prayer for removal of all hawkers from the frontage of the hotel has not been decided by it in the current petition, Justice Sinha said it will be open for the petitioner to take necessary steps in aid of the prayer before the appropriate forum.

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