Mayor asks police to ensure hawkers sit at distance of 50-metre from crossings

Kolkata: In the wake of the death of a minor at Diamond Harbour Road on Friday morning, Mayor of Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC), Firhad Hakim said the civic body will write to the police to ensure hawkers sit at a 50-metre distance from crossings to leave space for pedestrians and action be taken against illegal parking.

The death of the minor, whose father also had to be hospitalised after they were hit by a truck, had paved the way for a law and order problem with irate mob clashing with the police to protest against alleged inaction by the latter in manning traffic in front of the Barisha High School.

Hakim was intimated by the media that both sides of the road have been encroached by hawkers while vehicles were illegally parked at several places, leaving hardly any space for pedestrians. The Mayor said that the Town Vending Committee has already set rules for the hawkers. According to the rules, hawkers must sit a 50-metre distance from crossing. He said that it is true that several hawkers are violating rules and not paying heed to the instructions.

“The incident that occurred today was unfortunate and this should have never happened. Since the KMC does not have a say in how to manage traffic, we will instead write to the police to ensure hawkers sit at a 50 m distance from crossings for the safety of pedestrians. For pavements, hawkers should be anyway leaving two thirds of the pavement.”

He pointed out that in several market places such as Hatibagan and New Market, hawkers continue to flout rules by occupying more space than what has been allotted to them (one third of pavement).

Hakim said that KMC has been able to implement the rules strictly in Gariahat market and hopes that the same will be achieved in other areas with time. “It won’t happen in a day,” he said.

Further, the mayor said it is often observed that vehicles are randomly parked on roadsides. This also includes matadors and motorcycles, he said. “We will ask the police to take strict action against such vehicles,” he assured.