Locals join hawkers to stall Baghajatin eviction

Kolkata: A protest staged by hawkers and locals, including some train commuters, slammed the brakes on an eviction drive around Baghajatin railway station on Tuesday night. The hawkers and their families stayed awake and guarded their stalls at the station till the crack of dawn on Wednesday, fearing a bulldozer attack. A similar drive had razed several structures at Jadavpur station, about 1.9 km away, 48 hours ago.

On Wednesday morning, TOI visited the railway station and found that some of the hawkers had opened their stalls but were on tenterhooks in fear of resumption of the eviction drive. Members of the local Hawkers’ Coordination Committee said they are planning to move court to stop the eviction.

“Following our protest, cops left the spot around 2.30 am on Wednesday and they also removed the guard rails put up in the area. Despite foiling the demolition, we could not sleep at night. We were afraid they would return to pull down our stalls. Many of us have been conducting business here for three or four decades. If our stalls are demolished, we will lose our livelihood,” said Sahanur Gazi, who sells mobile-related items at the station.

There are about 200 stalls selling food, tea, apparel and tobacco products, among other items, at the railway station and its surroundings. Besides, about 100-150 other hawkers, who have no stall, conduct business on two platforms of the station.

On June 1, the railway authorities had reportedly given notice to the hawkers, asking them to vacate the station premises. “We are alarmed and are spending sleepless nights. On June 8, guard rails were placed around the station area, much like what had been done at Jadavpur station. On Tuesday night, cops arrived at the station with shields and batons. A large number of locals, including train commuters, joined us to resist the eviction. At a time when bulldozer drives are being rolled in for demolition across the city, we are panicked and are afraid we will lose our livelihoods,” said Gobinda Das, a hawker at the station.

According to locals, the police force reached the station between 8 pm and 8.30 pm on Tuesday. Members of the committee and some daily commuters took out a protest march on the road adjacent to the station.

Kalpana Dutta, a commuter who is also a member of the committee, said, “After our protest, the police did not evict anyone. But some of them stayed at the station till 2.30 am. We joined the hawkers and their families, including children, in guarding the stalls throughout the night. We appeal to the railway authority to approach the matter with humanity. We are planning to move court.”