Kolkata, July 4 — West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Saturday assured hawkers that there will be no state-led eviction drive anywhere in the state until Durga Puja in October, offering temporary respite to thousands of street vendors. The pledge came during a meeting with Asit Saha, president of the Hawkers’ Joint Action Committee, at the state secretariat, Nabanna.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Saha said the assurance had ended the “atmosphere of fear” among hawkers across the state. He quoted the Chief Minister as saying that, “on humanitarian grounds, there will be no hawker eviction till Durga Puja this year,” and that Adhikari would raise the issue with the Indian Railways to find solutions for hawkers operating at stations or on railway land.
A follow-up meeting between the hawkers’ organisation and the Secretary of the State Municipal Affairs Department is scheduled next week to discuss rehabilitation, long-term policy and the issuance of identity cards for hawkers. That session is expected to cover practical steps for protecting livelihoods and formalising vendors’ businesses.
Since the new Adhikari-led government took office, eviction actions and notices at various railway stations and some markets have caused severe hardship for many vendors, who have been demanding rehabilitation. The chief minister’s announcement has been described by the hawker community as a major relief for lakhs of hawkers and their families. IANS
Original Source: https://theshillongtimes.com/2026/07/04/no-hawker-eviction-in-west-bengal-till-durga-puja-assures-cm-adhikari/
Category: NATIONAL,News Alert
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Publish Date: 2026-07-04 20:53:00
