Darjeeling municipality has offered “temporary” space within the premises of Gorkha Rangamanch Bhavan to the hawkers who have been evicted from Mall Road from Tuesday.

The civic authorities held a meeting with the representatives of the hawkers in Darjeeling where the offer was made.

“We have offered to provide them temporary space within the premises of Gorkha Rangamanch Bhavan as livelihood issues are also involved,” said Mukund Raj Baraily, councillor, Darjeeling municipality.

The civic authorities said that the space would be temporary until they come up with a permanent structure. The bhavan which houses the GTA Sabha and other offices also serves as a town hall.

The hawkers’ delegation said that they would hold a meeting with members and convey their decision to the municipality on Wednesday.

“Our member strength is 106. Once we were evicted and settled at the Mall Road in 2012 it took us almost three to four years to make our market popular. Hawkers always face the brunt and even if a new place is provided to us it will take some time to make the place popular among buyers,” said a hawker.

When told that the Darjeeling civic body had only enlisted 28 hawkers in 2012, the association members contested the claim.

“Our strength is 106. There are rumours that we have rented our space or even sold to other individuals,” said a hawker.

The hawkers were asked to vacate the place from April 1 to 3 in view of the G20 event in Darjeeling on Monday.

However, with most people in Darjeeling town wanting to keep the Mall Road hawkers free, Anit Thapa, the GTA chief executive, and Dipen Thakuri, Darjeeling civic chairman, on Monday announced the hawkers would not be allowed to settle in the area henceforth.

These hawkers were settled in this spot when Bimal Gurung, president, Gorkha Janmukti Morcha was in control of the hills.

The latest decision of the civic body has been largely appreciated by the general public of Darjeeling town. However, some said an alternative plan for hawkers should have been drawn up first.

A resident, however, said: “Every time hawkers are evicted and rehabilitated elsewhere, new hawkers come up and take up that old space. Look at the Nehru Road in the evenings. It is full of hawkers despite eviction drives in the past,” said a resident.