Mamata Banerjee stops eviction of illegal hawkers in Kolkata for a month

Banerjee, however, said the government will continue its survey for the whole month and create specified zones for the concerned hawkers.

"I am not against the hawkers. They should be organised. We have to keep the streets clean. In the meantime, we will carry out our survey. We will relocate them but pavements and roads can't be illegally occupied," said the Chief Minister.

"Kolkata as well as Salt lake, Rajarhat are losing their identity. In Howrah, people are doing whatever they feel like, as if it is a place for loot," she said in strict words.

Banerjee stopped the eviction for a month after several hawkers were miffed at the administration's overnight bulldozing of the stalls across the city.

Leader of Opposition and BJP MLA Suvendu Adhikari had threatened to protest against the eviction drive, which was carried out by the administration for two days.

The Chief Minister has also lashed out at the local leaders and administration for allowing illegal parking in Kolkata.

Several illegal hawkers were evicted by police on Tuesday and Wednesday after the Chief Minister fumed at the encroachments on roads.

Banerjee on Monday pulled up the state's civic body chiefs stating that the streets are not clean.

"Even streets are not swept. Do I have to step out to sweep the streets now?" Banerjee said at a meeting held in the state secretariat, Nabanna, attended by municipal body chiefs, her cabinet colleagues and a few MLAs.

"Some people are taking bribes and allowing encroachment. Why don't you understand that Bengal's identity is being tarnished because you people are taking money? Wherever there is land, it is being encroached," she said.

The meeting assumes significance as the ruling TMC, which is now gearing up for the civic elections that are to be held in the state in 2026, was trailing in 69 out of the 121 civic bodies in the recent Lok Sabha polls, deeper scrutiny of the Lok Sabha results shows.