SILIGURI: With the aim of resolving the issues of unregulated hawker activities and vendors encroaching on footpaths, the Siliguri Municipal Corporation (SMC) has formed a four-member committee. The Secretary of SMC will head the committee. The committee has been tasked with identifying suitable locations to relocate hawkers removed from footpaths and determining long-term solutions to ease public movement.
The city of Siliguri continues to grapple with growing concerns over unregulated hawker activity, as pavements across major roads remain occupied, leaving pedestrians with limited space to walk. In many stretches, shop owners have also extended their goods beyond store boundaries, blocking footpaths and worsening congestion.
To address these issues, Mayor Gautam Deb held a meeting with hawkers, focusing primarily on those operating along Hill Cart Road. During the meeting, the Mayor announced the formation of the committee. At present, the corporation does not have precise data on the total number of hawkers operating across the city — an assessment the new committee will undertake. Efforts to clear pavements have already begun under the leadership of Qazi Shamsuddin Ahmed, the Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Traffic, with the Siliguri Traffic Police removing illegal hawker setups from several locations. Shop owners encroaching on roads have also been warned.
So far, 103 hawker zones and 61 non-hawker zones have been identified across Siliguri. Plans are also underway to create new parking zones. From now on, four-wheelers will not be allowed to remain parked on roadsides throughout the day. Owners must move their vehicles once they get down, and long-duration parking outside offices will not be permitted.
Ranjan Sarkar, the Deputy Mayor said: “Within the next year, the face of the city will transform. These measures are being taken to improve traffic flow and enhance the city’s aesthetics. Earlier, we had 20 parking zones — now more have been added. To restore Siliguri’s beauty, we need public cooperation.”