The Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) has announced plans to rehabilitate nearly 100 hawkers who have been vending outside the Park Circus market for several years. This initiative is part of a broader scheme to resolve the ongoing impasse over the demolition and reconstruction of the deteriorating market.
Each hawker will be allotted 35 square feet of space under this rehabilitation plan. The redevelopment will see the stall owners temporarily relocated to Park Circus Maidan during the construction period. KMC officials will work closely with the stall owners to identify the hawkers who have been consistently operating outside the market, ensuring that those with a legitimate claim are provided for in the new market structure.
The decision was formalised during a meeting between KMC officials and representatives of the long-standing market. Senior KMC officials confirmed that the market department will compile a list of eligible hawkers in consultation with the stall owners. This measure aims to ensure that only those who have been regularly vending outside the market are included in the relocation plan, while part-time hawkers or those who have transferred their rights will be excluded.
Amiruddin (Bobby), head of the KMC’s markets department and member mayor-in-council, stated, “Officials will check with the stall owners and others to identify hawkers who have been selling their goods for years outside the Park Circus market before drawing up a list. Those who are part-time hawkers or have sold their right to someone else won’t be considered.”
The stall owners’ demands have largely been met, and the demolition of the market building is scheduled to commence after the shop owners relocate to Park Circus Maidan following the Pujas. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has expressed concern about the dilapidated state of several market buildings in Kolkata and has instructed the urban development department and KMC to prioritise their repairs.
The Park Circus market, with sections dating back to the late 1930s and mid-1950s, has been in disrepair for several years. The western portion of the market, located on Beckbagan Row, is particularly in bad shape. Since February, the KMC has been working to reach an agreement with the stall owners and vendors to facilitate the market’s redevelopment.
The new six-storey market building, which will include an underground parking lot, is expected to take just over two years to complete. During this time, the shop owners will be accommodated in a section of Park Circus Maidan. Additionally, the shop owners have requested that the market be reclassified from Category B to Category C, which would reduce their rental rates from Rs 4.5 to Rs 3.5 per square foot.
Senior KMC officials emphasised the importance of this project in revitalising the Park Circus market and ensuring a better environment for both vendors and customers. The successful completion of this redevelopment will not only improve the market’s infrastructure but also enhance the overall commercial landscape of the area, making it more attractive and accessible for future business opportunities.
