The land in question spans a 29-cottah plot, located in a prime area of South Kolkata, and has long been encroached upon by informal markets and shops. The KMC initiated the construction of a boundary wall last month, aiming to secure the plot. However, the project has encountered major setbacks as a significant portion of the land remains occupied.
A small stretch of the boundary wall has been completed, but progress has been slow, as the majority of the land is still being used for commercial activities. When the KMC team visited the site on March 17, they found that most shops were still operating, making it impossible to proceed with construction. Due to some shops being closed, KMC officials were unable to ascertain whether they had been vacated or were still in use.
The land is owned by the state’s Information and Cultural Affairs Department and was earmarked for reclamation after several years of illegal occupation. The KMC had issued a notice on March 11, directing the encroachers to vacate the plot by March 17 to facilitate the boundary wall’s completion. However, the continued resistance from the shop owners has stalled the project.Many of the shop owners, who have operated on this land for several decades, have expressed their frustration over the eviction. Some of the traders, particularly those running small businesses, have pleaded for alternative arrangements rather than complete displacement. One shop owner, who has been working in the area for over 20 years, questioned where they would go if the eviction went through.
While political leaders from the ruling party, including local Trinamool Congress representatives, have largely stayed neutral on the issue, the resistance to eviction continues to intensify. Posters calling for the halt of the eviction drive have been put up around the market by Citu, the CPM-affiliated trade union. However, the Trinamool leadership has refrained from taking a stand on the matter, citing the government’s decision to reclaim the land. The reclamation efforts gained momentum after a televised address by the Chief Minister in June 2024, where she highlighted the need to clear government land from encroachment. Since then, the KMC has been under pressure to follow through on the eviction process.
With the eviction still pending, the KMC now plans to escalate the issue by appealing to higher authorities for further guidance on how to resolve the standoff and move forward with the boundary wall construction. The ongoing conflict is expected to set a precedent for handling similar encroachment issues across the city.
