Massive Anti Encroachment Drives Clear Over 500 Hawkers Outside Howrah and Sealdah Stations
In a major coordinated effort, the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC), Howrah Municipal Corporation (HMC), and local police forces executed massive eviction drives outside the bustling Sealdah and Howrah railway stations. The operations resulted in the removal of over 500 hawkers and the dismantling of numerous permanent and semi-permanent structures that had long choked the surrounding roads. At Sealdah, the drive targeted the critical flyover approach roads and major thoroughfares like AJC Bose Road and B B Ganguly Street, freeing up vital space for vehicular movement. Meanwhile, across the river in Howrah, authorities cleared the heavily congested station approach road and the area around the bus terminus, which had become notorious for severe bottlenecks.
The enforcement teams aggressively dismantled illegally constructed bamboo and plastic stalls, pushing hawkers back behind the legally mandated yellow lines to ensure clear pathways for pedestrians. Local municipal officials emphasized that these drives are part of a broader, sustained campaign to reclaim public spaces and permanently resolve the chronic traffic congestion plaguing these massive transit hubs. While the sudden action sparked brief protests and deep anxiety among the hawker unions over the loss of their livelihoods, authorities have maintained strict vigil with a heavy police deployment to prevent any attempts at immediate resettlement.
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