Kolkata: Lalbazar has issued directives to multiple traffic guards in central Kolkata to reclaim all road surfaces across the central business district by removing not only illegal parking but also all forms of encroachments. The police have been instructed to ensure that the entire road space is left open for commute and not used for any form of business activity.
Two-Day Drive Targets Canning Street
In a drive lasting two days, starting Monday, the Headquarters Traffic Guard — which reported the highest number of illegal parking cases in the past 10 days — along with officers from two police stations, cleared the road surface on Canning Street. This marks the second such operation since 2024.
Police have now warned that they will conduct special raids to immediately seize wares if hawkers attempt to use the road surface again. The next target is to clear the main Netaji Subhas Road, according to police sources.
Voluntary Compliance Encouraged
"The drive began a little after noon and continued till 2:45 pm on Monday. We asked all hawkers and other encroachers to move out voluntarily. We covered the entire Canning Street stretch from Brabourne Road crossing to Rabindra Sarani. The hawkers who voluntarily left were counselled," a senior police officer said.
Since 2023, traders and market committees have flagged a "complete encroachment" concern on Canning Street and adjoining roads. The crucial link between Brabourne Road and Rabindra Sarani has seen even the carriageway being taken over by squatters, leaving no space for even a single file of vehicles to navigate the congested thoroughfare.
Previous Efforts and Political Patronage
"In 2024, we had cleared the encroachments and autos had been introduced, making the trip less costly and faster for commuters. However, political patronage led to the encroachers returning to the road. Now, we want to ensure that no hawker can come back," said an officer at Lalbazar.
Earlier, Times of India found several hawkers had set up shop on the carriageway, selling everything from toys to accessories to knock-offs. "Many even use the road to park goods vehicles and load and unload them. Several cars, bikes, and other vehicles were stranded for over an hour for the rush to clear and move ahead. Businessmen and market committees have flagged potential hazards, including difficulty for fire engines in reaching the spot if a fire breaks out, accidents due to absence of adequate road space, and financial losses to shop owners. We want cops not to make this a one-day or one-week show," said Sailab Ahuja, a local trader.
