No construction in Darjeeling Mall till Feb 8, says district administration

The JAC, comprising social organizations, health clubs and senior citizens of the town, said the district administration had directed for a status quo on the construction work at Mall. 

EOI, DARJEELING, JANUARY 16, 2024 : The Darjeeling district administration on Tuesday issued a directive to not allow any construction on Mall, Chowrasta, till February 8. 

The directive followed a meeting with representatives of the Hawkers Association and the Joint Action Committee. 

The JAC, comprising social organizations, health clubs and senior citizens of the town, said the district administration had directed for a status quo on the construction work at Mall. 

"We had a detailed discussion with the district administration official and the Hawkers Association today. We stick by our stand to not allow any construction on the Mall, Chowrasta. The government official has asked us to wait till February 8 for a decision on clamping section 144 in the construction area," said Tshering Dorjee Bhutia, senior founding member of JAC. 

The Mall, Chowrasta, is a popular and only open square in the heart of Darjeeling town which is preferred by happy tourists, relaxing elderly citizens and health enthusiasts throughout the day. However, the famous square and the area around it is currently caught up in a squabble over the construction of a hawkers’ market.

"There is confusion over the construction work for a new hawkers’ market. The hawkers themselves are unaware and the civic body and the district administration also have denied knowledge when we inquired with them. Who is responsible for digging and starting the construction work," Bhutia asked.

In December last, some workers were found digging on the Bhutia Busty Road below the guard railings installed around the Mall, Chowrasta, ostensibly to erect pillars. The JAC reached the spot along with a few members of different samaj (communities) and got the construction work stopped after lodging a complaint with the Sadar NEWS IN BRIEF police station. 

"We have found that there is no legal document to support the construction work. We don't know who started the digging work and why, " said Bhutia. The numbers could not be verified, but 108 hawkers have put up temporary stalls below the Mahakal temple on Mall road vending mostly winter clothes, religious items and souvenirs to tourists that flock Chowrasta. 

Ahead of the G20 meeting in Darjeeling in April, 2023 these hawkers were relocated inside the premises of the Gorkha Ranga Mancha Bhawan (Bhanu Bhawan) by the Darjeeling Municipality and the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration. 

The GTA and the civic body had promised to identity a suitable area for the hawkers to put up their stalls, which failed to materialize even after nine months of the assured time. After the expiry of the assured timeline, the hawkers citing loss in business due to the location of their stalls returned to their old location below the Mahakal temple. This move by the hawkers prompted the JAC to mobilize support to oppose hawking around the Mall area. 

The Darjeeling Municipality in an effort to quell unrest had planned to construct a structure using iron planks on the area with trees below the guard railings opposite the Mahakal temple for the hawkers to put up stalls. Suren Chhetri, secretary of the New Mahakal Market Hawkers Association (NMMHA), said the district administration and the JAC were sympathetic but put the onus on the civic body to identify a proper space. 

"The Darjeeling Municipality has the power and resources to find a new space for us. We will continue to vend in our old location till February 8," he said. 

It is learnt that the hawkers have been asked to use only a ‘khaat’ (wooden platform) without the rooftop to sell their wares till the next hearing. Officials of the district administration and the Darjeeling Municipality could not be contacted