Darjeeling surprised Darjeeling on Sunday.

Mall Road, the town’s most famous stretch, is free of hawkers after almost a decade, the gazebos are decorated with colorful flowers, the road is washed clean, new plants are seen along the stretch, the railings are repainted and all lampposts are working.

Sources said that the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) spent around Rs 7 lakh and the Darjeeling municipality undertook jobs amounting to around Rs 30 lakh — which includes repairs of Ladenla and DB Giri roads — to beautify the place.

This is because 130-odd G20 delegates will visit Darjeeling on Monday. They will take a ride on the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (DHR) and a walk along the Mall Road after lunch at Raj Bhavan and then attend a cultural event at Chowrasta before returning to Siliguri in the evening.

“Why can’t Mall Road and Chowrasta be maintained once every year like it has been done this time? Do we need G20 for a renovation?” asked a hotelier from Darjeeling echoing a common sentiment.

The most talked about topic in Darjeeling throughout the day was the eviction of hawkers from the Mall, even though it is only for three-four days.

“If they can be evicted now, why can’t they be evicted once and for all? Mall Road is not a place for hawkers,” said a resident.

Sources in the municipality said all that was needed was “political will”.

In 2012, 337 hawkers were evicted from the Nehru Road stretch of famed eatery Keventer’s to Chowrasta. Bimal Gurung was in complete control of the hills then.

These hawkers were relocated along a stretch between Chowrasta and Hotel Alice Villa. Some 12 stalls were given “temporary” space at Mall Road.

From 12 temporary stalls, the numbers crossed to 90 stalls, changing the serene look of Darjeeling’s most famous stretch.

“Another list of 28 stalls (from 12 stalls) was drawn up then but now the numbers (of stalls) have grown exponentially,” said a source from the civic body.

Local residents have blamed all political parties that have helmed the municipalities, including those of hill leaders Bimal Gurung, Ajoy Edwards and Binay Tamang’s party for the mess at Mall Road.

“No one took stern action against squatters along Mall Road,” said a resident.

Dipen Thakuri, who is the current chairman of Darjeeling municipality, admitted that “solving” the issue of hawkers along the Mall Road and Alice Villa stretch would go a long way in bringing back the old charm of Darjeeling.

“We have managed to evict the hawkers for three-four days. It is a difficult issue. I too personally think that if we can come up with a permanent hawkers’ market below Chowrasta and clear the present two stretches we can regain some charm of Darjeeling,” said Thakuri.

The idea of a permanent hawkers’ market in Chowrasta — chief minister Mamata Banerjee had laid the foundation stone for it on January 23, 2014 — was opposed vehemently by residents andenvironmentalists, and a stay on it was obtained from the court.

Also, despite the eviction of 337 hawkers from Nehru Road in 2012, an equal number of hawkers or even more are back at the stretch.