Malda: Hawkers’ Corner rehabilitates 57 persons in 1st phase

Malda: Rehabilitating 57 hawkers in Ward 4 of English Bazar Municipality (EBM), Gourbanga Hawkers Corner was inaugurated by Krishnendu Narayan Choudhury, Chairman of the civic body on Sunday afternoon. This is the first phase of the initiative and almost a hundred more will be rehabilitated in this ward shortly.

The Corner with facilities of lights, fans, clean toilets, drinking water, designated place to store goods and permanent construction with marble floorings has brought a big smile on the faces of fish, meat and vegetable vendors. According to the EBM authorities, this is an attempt to rehabilitate hawkers in this way after the announcement made by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to clear unauthorised encroachment of government land and rehabilitate the hawkers in Bengal. So far, the traders have been vending in temporary structures on the land of the National Highway for almost 40 years.

EBM took the initiative to remove encroachments from government land and rehabilitate traders in permanent structures with much better facilities. In the first phase of this market, about 57 fish, meat and vegetable traders have been allotted shops. Arrangements are also being made for at least a hundred more traders in the coming days. Tapas Mandal, a fish trader, said: “We thank Mamata Didi and the English Bazar Municipality for the initiative. It will be a great place for us to trade. Moreover, the market is now open in the morning and evening.”

Krishnendu Narayan Choudhury said: “There’ll be separate slaughter blocks and parking places here and a proposed bus stop. The whole place will take a new look to the convenience of the people. The dream of the Chief Minister to rehabilitate hawkers is finally taking shape.”