East Burdwan: Traders asked to open shops at Misti Hub within 15 days or face action

kolkata: The East Burdwan district administration on Friday asked the businessmen associated with the Misti Hub to open their shops within 15 days, failing which the administration will take action.

District Magistrate, East Burdwan Priyanka Singla chaired a meeting with all stakeholders of the Misti hub located at Bamchandaipur locality along the National Highway-2 where the option of running the confectioners' hub by self help groups, as per direction of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was also discussed.

"There will be facilities for stationing government buses at the Misti hub. The private bus operators will also be asked to stop their vehicles. The National Highway Authority will create a cutting from the road so that vehicles can be channelised through there for entry into the hub," a senior official of the district administration, who attended the meeting, said.

East Burdwan Police Superintendent Kamnasish Sen, Sabhadhipati of Zilla Parishad Sampa Dhara, local MLA Nisith Malik and senior officials from National Highway and transport department and the businessmen associated with the hub were present in the meeting.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in April 2017 had inaugurated Misti Hub through remote control from Asansol Police Line where Burdwan district was officially bifurcated into East and West.

However, sometime after commencement, the hub ran into rough weather and the businessmen gradually downed the shutters citing low sales in the hub. There are 10 shops in the ground floor and another 15 in the first floor, which were closed down.

A week back, while chairing an administrative meeting, Banerjee enquired about the Misti Hub from the District Magistrate and learnt that it had closed down. She immediately issued instructions to take measures for opening the same. "The food packets that are distributed in different government programmes will be purchased from the hub," Dhara said. A representative from Sitabhog – Mihidana Traders Association said they were ready to open the shops but measures should be taken so that they do not suffer losses.