No eviction drive in Burrabazar & College Street, clarifies KMC Commissioner

Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) Commissioner Smita Pandey has officially clarified that the civic body is not currently undertaking any specific drive to remove encroachments in the busy commercial hubs of Burrabazar and College Street. This statement comes as a response to growing speculations and local concerns regarding potential eviction activities in these densely populated heritage and business pockets of Central Kolkata.

Addressing the media, Commissioner Pandey emphasized that while the KMC remains committed to urban management and pedestrian safety, there are no immediate plans for a large-scale anti-encroachment campaign in these specific zones. Burrabazar, known as Asia's largest wholesale market, and College Street, the city’s iconic book hub, have long faced challenges related to pavement congestion, making any news of administrative action a sensitive matter for local traders.

The Commissioner’s clarification aims to dispel rumors that had been circulating among the local business community. By setting the record straight, the KMC head has provided a reprieve to the thousands of street vendors and shopkeepers who operate in these areas. However, the civic body continues its routine monitoring to ensure that essential services and emergency access routes are not entirely blocked.