Hawkers to be rehabilitated at Chowrasta in Darjeeling in temporary structures

EOI, DARJEELING, DECEMBER 12, 2023 : The Darjeeling Municipality has decided to construct a temporary structure at Chowrasta to provide space for hawkers to re-restart their business amidst protests by environmentalists and intellectuals. 

Ahead of the G20 meeting in April in Darjeeling, the municipal authorities had evicted 106 hawkers from the Mall Road area for beautification of the area. 

The hawkers, mostly vending winter clothes and shoes and souvenir items in temporary stalls made of wood, had been shifted inside the Gorkha Ranga Mancha (Bhanu Bhawan) premise with assurance of being rehabilitated to an alternative place. 

"We were asked to shift to Bhanu Bhawan and given assurance we would be relocated in a new place. The GTA and the Darjeeling municipality tried to relocate us but faced protests by certain sections of the society. However, now looking at our plight we have been asked to shift back to our old place from tomorrow," said Suren Chhetri, senior member of the New Mahakal Market Hawkers Association (NMMHA), on Monday. 

Chettri said business at Bhanu Bhawan was bad and very few customers if at all came by to purchase goods; unlike in the old place below the Mahakal temple area on Mall road. "For over twelve years we have been sustaining our family, children's education and bank loans by vending below the Mahakal temple area. But in our new location we don't get any customers. Even in the peak May and Durga puja season, we did not do good business. We are broke financially," he said. 

The NMMHA thanked the civic body and the GTA for considering the plight of the hawkers. "The GTA chairman and the municipality chairman had visited our stall at Bhanu Bhawan on a few occasions and were moved by our pathetic condition. We also appeal to people opposed to us to consider our condition on humanitarian grounds. 

In fact some elderly citizens have also told us that they felt safe walking in the evening with our stalls open, unlike in the present moment when the area is deserted and dark," said Chhetri. 

The municipality has planned to construct a deck with iron pillars in an open space opposite the old place the hawkers had their stalls. 

"The hawkers are frustrated and drained emotionally because their business which is the only source of livelihood has been affected by shifting to another place. The new location which is opposite to the old location will not cause any environmental issues. We will start construction work from Tuesday to ensure the hawkers are able to shift back at the earliest," said Chairman of Darjeeling Municipality Dipen Thakuri. 

Earlier, the Municipality had identified two locations near the Mall Road and Chowrasta area for rehabilitating the hawkers but faced opposition from environmentalists and morning walkers. 

"Some environmentalists and intellectuals of the town created obstacles. It has become a very sensitive issue. However, we have to also consider the plight of the people. In fact the GTA chairman is very concerned about the hawkers and their condition," said Thakuri. 

The Darjeeling municipality and the NMMHA have agreed that the hawkers would vacate their old place and shift to the new location on completion of the structure without any further complaints