The Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) on Sunday installed metal panels at the back of some hawkers’ stalls in Gariahat.

But a gap between the panels and the stalls would allow rainwater to enter and damage the items, some of the hawkers said, adding that they might be forced to hang tarpaulin sheets to protect their wares.

The sheets, however, cannot be seen from the road because of the panels, which have been put up to hide stained and half-torn pieces of cloth and tarpaulin sheets
that hang at the back of the stalls.

Such sheets have turned the once beautiful Rashbehari Avenue into an ugly stretch.

A KMC official involved in the making of the panels said about 10 panels were installed as part of a pilot project. “We will make changes, if required,” the official said.

Mayor Firhad Hakim and mayoral council member Debashis Kumar are likely to visit Gariahat and inspect the panels, the official said. “More such panels will be prepared after the authorities give the go-ahead.”

Chief minister Mamata Banerjee had in a meeting at Nabanna on June 24 spoke about the dirty covers hanging at the back of hawkers’ stalls in Gariahat.

“Hawkers have put up red and black tarpaulin sheets at the back of the stalls. You have to create a system so that it looks good,” she had said.

Similar half-torn and stained pieces of cloth and tarpaulin sheets can be found hanging at hawkers’ stalls in Hatibagan, too.

Ajay Dey’s stall in Gariahat, which sells bags, is among those where metal panels have been put up.

“It is looking good from the road. The back of our stalls lies hidden but there is a gap between the panel and the stall. I suspect water will enter the stall through the gap during rain and destroy the items,” said Dey, whose stall is right in front of the Traders Assembly store.

“If that happens, hawkers might still have to hang a piece of cloth to protect
their wares.”

Dey said KMC officials should seek hawkers’ opinion on how to put up the panels. “If they speak to us, we will explain the problem to them,” he said.

A senior KMC official said the gap would allow ventilation.

The Aluminium Composite Panels (ACP) will have holes through which hose pipes, used to douse flames, can pass. “If a fire breaks out in a stall, hose pipes can be inserted through the stalls to spray water. Also, if needed, the panels can be easily broken during a firefighting operation,” the official said.

The 10-odd panels installed have some of the welfare schemes of the state government displayed on them, along with pictures of the chief minister.

Sources said there are discussions on whether the space can be used to display advertisements so the KMC can earn some revenue.

Mayor Hakim had told The Telegraph after the chief minister’s comment at the televised meeting that the KMC would build and install metal panels at the back of pavement stalls.

The KMC had floated tenders twice inviting bids to make metal panels for the stalls. But no bid was submitted. This delayed the plan, sources in the civic body said.

But the chief minister’s nudge on June 24 swung the civic body into action.