A protest by hawkers and local residents, including train commuters, halted an eviction drive at Baghajatin railway station in Kolkata on Tuesday night. The hawkers and their families stayed awake guarding their stalls until dawn on Wednesday, fearing a bulldozer attack similar to one that razed structures at Jadavpur station, about 1.9 km away, 48 hours earlier.
Stall Owners on Edge
On Wednesday morning, a visit to the station revealed some hawkers had opened their stalls but remained anxious about a possible resumption of the eviction. Members of the local Hawkers' Coordination Committee said they plan to approach the court to stop the eviction.
Sahanur Gazi, a mobile accessories seller, stated, 'Following our protest, police left around 2:30 am on Wednesday and removed the guard rails. Despite foiling the demolition, we couldn't sleep. Many of us have been here for three or four decades. Losing our stalls means losing our livelihood.'
Scale of Hawking at Station
About 200 stalls sell food, tea, apparel, tobacco products, and other items at the station and its surroundings. Additionally, 100 to 150 other hawkers without stalls operate on two platforms.
On June 1, railway authorities reportedly gave notice to vacate the station premises. 'We are alarmed and sleepless. On June 8, guard rails were placed, similar to Jadavpur station. On Tuesday night, police arrived with shields and batons. Locals and commuters joined us to resist. With bulldozer drives across the city, we are panicked,' said Gobinda Das, a hawker.
Protest Details
Police arrived between 8 pm and 8:30 pm on Tuesday. Committee members and daily commuters held a protest march on the adjacent road.
Kalpana Dutta, a commuter and committee member, said, 'After our protest, no evictions occurred, but police stayed until 2:30 am. We joined hawkers and their families, including children, guarding stalls all night. We appeal to the railway authority to act with humanity and plan to move court.'
