DARJEELING: Shop owners on Nehru Road below the Chowrasta, a popular market place in Darjeeling, started dismantling their stalls from Monday to make way for a parking lot to be built by a private firm.
Initially, 42 shop owners were expected to take a hit by the construction of the parking lot, but it is learnt that all the 182 stall owners have now decided to vacate the area.
Stall owners have taken the initiative of the Darjeeling Municipality directing them to remove the illegal shops
with a pinch of salt citing they had been doing business since 1971 when the Hills were warming up to the consistent tourist flow.
"We have been doing business here since the Seventies. All of us (stall owners) sustain our families by selling goods. How will we survive without our shops now?" said Pema Lhamu Sherpa, who sells shawls and winter garments on the stretch just below the place where the parking lot is expected to come up.
The parking lot will be built by Planter's Club on its own premises that overlooks several stalls. All though in the eye of the storm, the club officials have refused to comment on the issue.
The municipality has asked the stall owners, who have built their structures over the drains, to remove their shops. Though the dismantling drive was expected to start from August 13, it was stalled due to resistance from the shop owners.
The municipality has assured to provide alternative spot to the owners to put up their stalls.
On Monday, the stall owners started dismantling their shops. Initially, 42 shop owners were expected to take a hit by the construction of the parking lot, but it is learnt that all the 182 stall owners have now decided to vacate.
The shops are a huge draw with the tourists. Shops sell gift items, winter clothing, souvenirs and traditional Nepali dresses.
Since the stalls are located along the stretch from Keventer's to Chowrasta, it is convenient for the owners to sell their goods without hassles.
"We have been told that we will be relocated to some place of which we are not aware. It will be very difficult to showcase our goods and sell if we are given a vague location," said a stall owner.
Several meetings have been held between the district administration, the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) and GJM chief Bimal Gurung to settle the issue. "The stall owners had agreed to vacate initially but don't know what happened. We know that the issue of livelihood is there. But we have plans to rehabilitate them too," said a senior official on conditions of anonymity. In fact, municipality officials and the administration held a meeting on Monday with the GTA chief executive followed by another round later in the evening.
However, all the party, vis-a-vis the stall owners, the municipality, the district administration and the GTA officials refused to speak on the issue.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com
Shops off path to Mall
Darjeeling, Aug. 27.TT: The Darjeeling municipality has decided to remove 182 shops lining Nehru Road that connects the Mall with the rest of the town and is a tourist haunt.
The municipality had initially planned to move 42 shops along a stretch of the road as it had blocked the area where the Darjeeling Planters Club wanted to make a parking lot.
“We had planned to give them a temporary structure nearby but when our engineers went to the spot to dismantle the structures on Saturday, the shopkeepers refused to budge and hurled expletives,” said municipality chairman Amar Singh Rai.
A meeting between the civic authorities, hawkers and the district administration was convened at district magistrate Saumitra Mohan’s office today but though the hawkers agreed to dismantle the structures, their rehabilitation could not be worked out.
After the meeting with the district authorities, the hawkers, sources said, met Bimal Gurung, the chief executive of the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration. “After the meeting it was decided that not just the 42 shops, but all hawkers lining Nehru Road would be removed. They will not be rehabilitated immediately but when the GTA makes a permanent structure, they will be given space,” said Rai. Civic authorities are scouting for space near the Mall to construct a two-storied structure.
The shopkeepers who sell souvenirs for tourists started dismantling their shops late
Initially, 42 shop owners were expected to take a hit by the construction of the parking lot, but it is learnt that all the 182 stall owners have now decided to vacate the area.
Stall owners have taken the initiative of the Darjeeling Municipality directing them to remove the illegal shops
with a pinch of salt citing they had been doing business since 1971 when the Hills were warming up to the consistent tourist flow.
"We have been doing business here since the Seventies. All of us (stall owners) sustain our families by selling goods. How will we survive without our shops now?" said Pema Lhamu Sherpa, who sells shawls and winter garments on the stretch just below the place where the parking lot is expected to come up.
The parking lot will be built by Planter's Club on its own premises that overlooks several stalls. All though in the eye of the storm, the club officials have refused to comment on the issue.
The municipality has asked the stall owners, who have built their structures over the drains, to remove their shops. Though the dismantling drive was expected to start from August 13, it was stalled due to resistance from the shop owners.
The municipality has assured to provide alternative spot to the owners to put up their stalls.
On Monday, the stall owners started dismantling their shops. Initially, 42 shop owners were expected to take a hit by the construction of the parking lot, but it is learnt that all the 182 stall owners have now decided to vacate.
The shops are a huge draw with the tourists. Shops sell gift items, winter clothing, souvenirs and traditional Nepali dresses.
Since the stalls are located along the stretch from Keventer's to Chowrasta, it is convenient for the owners to sell their goods without hassles.
"We have been told that we will be relocated to some place of which we are not aware. It will be very difficult to showcase our goods and sell if we are given a vague location," said a stall owner.
Several meetings have been held between the district administration, the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) and GJM chief Bimal Gurung to settle the issue. "The stall owners had agreed to vacate initially but don't know what happened. We know that the issue of livelihood is there. But we have plans to rehabilitate them too," said a senior official on conditions of anonymity. In fact, municipality officials and the administration held a meeting on Monday with the GTA chief executive followed by another round later in the evening.
However, all the party, vis-a-vis the stall owners, the municipality, the district administration and the GTA officials refused to speak on the issue.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com
Shops off path to Mall
Darjeeling, Aug. 27.TT: The Darjeeling municipality has decided to remove 182 shops lining Nehru Road that connects the Mall with the rest of the town and is a tourist haunt.
The municipality had initially planned to move 42 shops along a stretch of the road as it had blocked the area where the Darjeeling Planters Club wanted to make a parking lot.
“We had planned to give them a temporary structure nearby but when our engineers went to the spot to dismantle the structures on Saturday, the shopkeepers refused to budge and hurled expletives,” said municipality chairman Amar Singh Rai.
A meeting between the civic authorities, hawkers and the district administration was convened at district magistrate Saumitra Mohan’s office today but though the hawkers agreed to dismantle the structures, their rehabilitation could not be worked out.
After the meeting with the district authorities, the hawkers, sources said, met Bimal Gurung, the chief executive of the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration. “After the meeting it was decided that not just the 42 shops, but all hawkers lining Nehru Road would be removed. They will not be rehabilitated immediately but when the GTA makes a permanent structure, they will be given space,” said Rai. Civic authorities are scouting for space near the Mall to construct a two-storied structure.
The shopkeepers who sell souvenirs for tourists started dismantling their shops late
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