Hawkers encroaching upon the parking spaces at prominent locations in Sakchi market, who were evicted in a drive led by Jamshedpur Notified Area Committee (JNAC) special officer Sanjay Kumar last week, are back within 48 hours on makeshift stalls.
The hawkers sell wares ranging from mobile accessories, junk jewellery, clothes, to food.
Last week, over two dozen hawkers were removed from the parking lots at the busy Sand Line Road in Sakchi market area located in the heart of the Steel City. On Saturday, over five were back and by Monday, half of the evicted were doing brisk business.
The commercial value of Kadma and Sonari markets is very high and the owners of the shopping malls or stores here spend crores to set up their business establishments. The trade by hawkers results in huge revenue loss to the exchequer of JNAC.
Moreover, vehicle owners are forced to park their two and four-wheelers on the busy road, further narrowing it down to a single lane for vehicular movement, which often leads to traffic snarls and accidents.
Illegal hawkers were removed from Patta market area in Sakchi by East Singhbhum deputy commissioner (DC) Vijaya Jadhav last month. However, many of those are back on the newly laid footpath.
Last week, JNAC special officer Sanjay Kumar raided the Sand Line Road area and evicted the hawkers from the parking lots. The parking lot attendants were also warned not to allow entry to the hawkers, else their licences will be confiscated.
Speaking to TOI, Sanjay Kumar said, “Those who are back, will face strict legal action,” adding that officials will be instructed to carry out eviction drives on a regular basis on Sand Line Road and other areas in the city.
A hawker selling mobile phone accessories, on the condition of anonymity, said he has been doing business in the parking lot located at Sand Line Road for the past five years.
Another ‘golgappa’ seller said he shifted to this location around a year ago.
Read More:
More and more suppliers are calling on the industry to renegotiate contracts to include energy clauses so they can cover the cost of rising bills.
This is Audi India’s 19th such facility in the country