Darjeeling: Group of hawkers returned to Chowrasta without clearance from Darjeeling Municipality

A group of hawkers on Thursday took over the Mall Road without taking permission from the Darjeeling Municipality, raising serious questions over the rule of law in the city.

The municipality had removed 106 hawkers from Mall Road in April and provided them a temporary space near Gorkha Theater Building, also known as Bhanu Bhawan.

“They (106 hawkers) have set up stalls without taking permission from the municipality. They have occupied the space illegally,” said municipality chairman Deependra Thakuri.

When asked whether the civic board would take any action, Thakuri expressed helplessness.

On his return to Chowrasta (also known as the Mall), no hawker was willing to speak.

Darjeeling Municipality and Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) had taken up the work of setting up a hawkers’ market at Chowrasta to rehabilitate 106 people who complained that they did not get good business near Bhanu Bhawan.

However, the public opposed the proposal to construct a hawkers’ market.

Social and environmental organizations lodged a complaint with the police on Wednesday and decided to approach the Calcutta High Court on the issue. Following the complaint, the construction which started on Tuesday was stopped on Wednesday evening.

A fresh round of controversy began when the GTA decided to remove 106 hawkers from the mall from April 1 to 3 in view of the G20 meetings being held in Darjeeling – they were temporarily accommodated there in 2014. However, hawkers were not allowed to return to the mall area.

The cleanliness of Mall Road was greatly appreciated by the public.

However, the municipality’s decision to create markets for hawkers or allow them to return to their earlier locations has not been appreciated by the public.

“This means I can open a shop right in the middle of Chowrasta and later demand that I be rehabilitated,” said a resident on Thursday.

Social media was flooded with messages condemning Thursday’s developments.

Many residents said serious questions were being raised about whether there was rule of law. He said that construction of tall buildings is continuing in the city.

A section of local people suddenly drew attention to the advertising hoardings
People were coming to every corner of Darjeeling city.