Work to lay the third track between Naihati and Ranaghat under the Eastern Railway’s Sealdah division has become uncertain as Trinamul-led railway hawker unions announced to oppose it in the wake of the proposed eviction drives at different stations.
INTTUC, the Trinamul’s trade union wing spearheading the hawkers’ movement, has demanded a rehabilitation package for hawkers. It also alleged that the BJP was trying to create unrest through the proposed eviction.
On Saturday, railway hawkers announced they would resist eviction and not leave their places of trade unless given suitable rehabilitation.
Over 1,000 hawkers gathered at the Barrackpore rail station premises on Saturday to stage a daylong demonstration against the proposed eviction. They also gave a memorandum to the station manager demanding rehabilitation.
Railway authorities recently issued an eviction notice to hawkers from the Barrackpore railway platform and the station premises.
The proposed eviction drive is not linked to laying of tracks alone. Railway authorities reportedly planned to evict hawkers from several stations in Sealdah division, particularly crowded ones, for better passenger safety on platforms.
In the recent past, hawker eviction drives had to be suspended because of similar protests by INTTUC-led hawkers unions at stations like Sodepur, Naihati, Kanchrapara, Chakdah, and Ranaghat.
The work to lay the third track between Naihati and Ranaghat had to be suspended also owing to difficulties in removing hawkers’ establishments at Madanpur, Shimurali and Chakdah stations.
Somnath Shyam, Trinamul’s Jagaddal MLA and INTTUC leader, said: “We have written a letter to railway minister and divisional railway manager requesting them to talk to us to resolve the issue. We promised cooperation and sought rehabilitation of hawkers, a natural demand. They have not made any response”.
Hawkers alleged that railway authorities have been deliberately trying to hand over important stations to private firms and set up commercial stalls through them. “We will not allow such a conspiracy to materialise,” a hawker said.
A senior official of Sealdah division who did not come on quote said orders had come from “higher authorities”.
