Kolkata, May 17 -- An overnight demolition drive outside Howrah railway station sparked tension after railway and police authorities removed dozens of roadside stalls and temporary structures in the busy station approach area.

The operation began past midnight on Saturday and continued into the early hours of Sunday along the stretch connecting the Ganga ghat with the station premises. Bulldozers and earthmovers were used to clear what officials described as illegal encroachments on railway land.

Personnel from the Railway Protection Force, Government Railway Police, Railway administration and Howrah City Police were deployed in large numbers during the exercise. Barricades were erected in parts of the area to prevent disruption as the demolition work progressed. Authorities said the clearance was necessary to improve pedestrian access and reduce chronic congestion outside one of India's busiest rail hubs. Footpaths and public spaces around the bus terminus and riverside approach had allegedly remained occupied by makeshift shops for years, causing difficulties for commuters.

The drive, however, drew sharp reactions from affected hawkers and traders. Several vendors alleged that they had not been given sufficient warning before the structures were demolished. Some claimed their businesses had operated in the locality for decades and urged the authorities to provide rehabilitation or designated vending zones.

"There should be beautification and proper management, but poor vendors should also be rehabilitated," a hawker affected by the eviction said. Another trader claimed the loss of livelihood had left many families in severe distress.

Witnesses said a brief confrontation broke out after some shopkeepers attempted to resist the eviction. Police later brought the situation under control.

Shibram Majhi, Chief Public Relations Officer of Eastern Railway, said: "We carry out such drives purely on operational requirements. The divisions make these decisions independently based on local needs. This is a continuous process and has been carried out earlier as well. Wherever accessibility or railway operations are affected, the divisions act accordingly to ensure smooth passenger movement and train services."

Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.