KMC to chalk out plan to rehabilitate hawkers

The Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) will chalk out a comprehensive plan to rehabilitate the hawkers after receiving a detailed report from Kolkata Police. The police will start verifying the information provided by the hawkers to Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC).

The KMC has collected information given by around 58,000  hawkers. The KMC had collected the information between July 15 and September 15. The police in 2012 had conducted a survey of the city hawkers. Now, they will tally the information gathered by the civic authorities.

It may be recalled that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had decided that hawkers should not be evicted but rehabilitated in a planned manner. She also talked about issuing license to them.

Hawker problem has become a major issue in the city. The Left Front did not address the issue and during its 34-year regime they were allowed to occupy the pavement in Kolkata making it impossible for the pedestrians. The hawkers have occupied the pavements of vast areas surrounding Esplanade, Brabourne Road and New Market. 

After coming to power, Banerjee had asked Mayor Sovan Chatterjee to prepare a comprehensive plan to rehabilitate the hawkers. The most important aspect to frame a policy is to have the number of hawkers and their area of operation. “Once the police give us the report after verifying the information given by the hawkers, we will proceed with our plan,” Chatterjee said.