Kolkata: Following state govt directives, the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) is gearing up to remove illegal encroachments and shops below flyovers across the city. The authorities on Saturday issued notices to unauthorised hawkers and occupants to remove their shops from under Sealdah flyover and Sukanta Setu in Jadavpur in seven days, failing which the authorities will take steps as per provisions.The notice by the KMC reads: “All the unauthorised occupants under the flyover who have erected, set up any structures, whether fixed or movable or whether of a permanent or temporary nature in violation of Section 371 of the Kolkata Municipal Corporation Act 1980 read with Section 516 of the KMC Act, 1980 shall have to remove all the structures within seven days from the date of this notice, failing which the KMC authority will take steps under the KMC Act 1980.”Since the new govt came to office, the administration has taken a stance to remove unauthorised structures and clear encroachment from public places like footpaths, pavements and stretches under flyovers.The Kolkata Police on Friday sent a division-wise list of flyovers and bridges located across the city under which multiple establishments and people have been residing for the KMC authorities to take necessary action. The list includes almost all major flyovers and bridges in the city.As per the list provided by the police, there are about 200 shops of various types that are operating in temporary structures below a portion of Sukanta Setu. In addition, there are around 20 families of about 4 to 5 members each who are residing in temporary structures below the flyover.As for Sealdah flyover, there are 927 permanent stalls and about 120 temporary food stalls along with 150 temporary garments stalls below the flyover stretch that have been doing business for decades. Besides, it has been estimated that close to 500 people, mainly labourers of stalls, porters and van drivers, stay under the flyover.Vendors who have received notices to move out said that they wanted the administration to come up with a rehabilitation package for them. “We have received a notice. We appeal to the govt to see if they can provide us with another place. Otherwise, we don’t know where to go and may have to come down on the streets with our families,” said Ramkrishna Pal, a trader.United Hawkers Committee (Sealdah) general secretary Pradip Saha said they hoped that the govt would come up with a rehabilitation plan for the hawkers. “A notice has come from KMC on Saturday and loudspeaker announcements were made, asking hawkers to remove all structures within seven days. We hope that the administration will come up with a solution so that the livelihood of hawkers is protected,” Saha said.Earlier last year, the Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority (KMDA) took up a drive to clear unauthorised encroachment from the stretch below several bridges and flyovers across the city and to fence off the cleared stretches to prevent encroachers from returning. Work was done on stretches below a few flyovers.(Inputs from Sayantan Chakraborty)
