The South Eastern Railway has issued notices to shopkeepers operating on railway land in the market area adjacent to Burnpur station in West Burdwan district, asking them to remove their shops within seven days.
Protesting against the directive, shopkeepers of the Burnpur station market area staged a demonstration on Thursday.
Following the protest, Asansol Municipal Corporation (AMC) Ward No. 78 councillor Ashok Rudra visited the site and expressed his support for the shopkeepers.
The traders said the South Eastern Railway was asking them to vacate the area despite the fact that many of them have been running their businesses there for the past 20 to 30 years. They questioned where they would go if evicted without any rehabilitation arrangement.
They further alleged that the railways were repeatedly creating difficulties for local traders in one way or another, which they described as unfair. Many shopkeepers said their establishments were their sole source of income and that a forced eviction would push their families into a severe livelihood crisis. “We are not against development, but our livelihood and families must also be taken into account,” they said.
Councillor Rudra said: “After receiving information about the matter, I visited the area today. The shopkeepers told me that railway officials had come and given them a seven-day deadline to remove their shops. Some have been earning their livelihood here for 20 years, others for 30 years. If they are suddenly asked to leave, where will they go?”
He added: “We and the local people are not opposed to development work being carried out by the South Eastern Railway. However, the railways must also consider the future of these shopkeepers.”
The councillor further stated that until the railway authorities make proper rehabilitation arrangements for the affected traders, they will not vacate the area.
Meanwhile, the South Eastern Railway maintained that the shops had been asked to be removed strictly in accordance with rules, as they were illegally occupying railway land.
It may be noted that in the steel township of Burnpur, railway land lies on one side of the area, while land belonging to SAIL’s IISCO Steel Plant is located on the other.