KOLKATA: The Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) has made arrangements for rehabilitation of hawkers near Kalighat temple at Hazra Park to facilitate construction of a skywalk. The civic body will also provide monetary assistance to the hawkers for shifting their stalls from Kalighat Hawkers' Corner to Hazra Park.
The KMC has set a target to begin construction work for the skywalk at Kalighat from August 15 and for this the hawkers in and around the Kalighat temple need to be rehabilitated to Hazra Park by July end.
"The skywalk will allow more space for vehicles to move through Kali Temple Road and sort out the problem of traffic congestion," said a senior KMC official.
However, a section of hawkers alleged irregularity in the allotment of stalls and protested when Chairman of Board of Administrators Firhad Hakim visited Hazra Park on Saturday evening to see the stalls that had been set up at the place for shifting of the hawkers.
The distribution of stalls has been done through lottery and the KMC had no role to play in such an exercise.
The protesting hawkers, alleged that though the total number of stalls is 158 but 150 stalls were allotted through lottery.
"We have already decided to provide Rs 10,000 to each of the hawkers while shifting the stalls. But, we have nothing to do with allotment of stalls through the lottery. The market committee will look into the issue and sort out the matter," Hakim said.
He was accompanied by Member Board of Administrators Debasish Kumar and Baishwanor Chatterjee. KMC has made plans to develop Kalighat temple in a manner so that it can emerge as an international cultural destination and a pilgrimage destination.
The Kalighat temple is considered to be one of the 51 "Shakti Peethas" (seats of divinity) in India.