On Saturday, a day after the authorities demolished shops at Kolkata’s famous Mullick Ghat flower market, vendors tried to pick up the pieces.
It was part of an anti-encroachment drive that the newly elected Bharatiya Janata Party government in West Bengal had started in several parts of the city.
The demolition at Mullick Ghat, situated under the Howrah Bridge and dating back to the 1850s, drew a great deal of attention. Mullick Ghat is one of Kolkata’s best-known landmarks and among the country’s largest wholesale flower markets.
Every day, about 4,000 flower vendors and wholesalers do business here. On Friday, more than 200 makeshift shops built on government land were demolished, reported The Times of India.
“The objective of the drive was to reclaim public space and ensure free movement in the area,” a police officer who was part of the exercise told the newspaper. He said that the authorities had informed the occupants of the illegal structure about the demolition drive Many, he told the newspaper, had already moved their wares.
Several shopkeepers confirmed this. They said they had been informed about the demolition drive a week before.
On Saturday, many flower sellers told Scroll about their long association with the market. One claimed that his family has been selling flowers at Mullick Ghat for over a century. “My forefathers used to come here to sell flowers,” he said.
He added that many of the vendors travel from places such as Chengail, Mecheda and Kolaghat, located roughly 40 km to 70 km from Kolkata, to sell flowers at the market.
Another vendor claimed that some of the demolished structures were being used not only for business but also as residential spaces. “People were cooking, sleeping and running shops from the same place,” he said.
The owner of a shop selling miscellaneous said that traders had appealed to the government through their market committee not to carry out the demolition drive. He mentioned that they had sought formal permission to operate in the area in 2014 and also before the 2026 Lok Sabha election.
“We are scared because of the demolition that was carried out yesterday,” he said. However, he added that traders had been assured that the ruling government would hear their concerns and that necessary relocation arrangements would be considered.
He said representatives had met BJP leaders yesterday, including West Bengal Cabinet Minister Tapas Roy, regarding the issue.
Not everyone is opposing the action. One customer who has been sourcing flowers from Mullick Ghat for around 30 years for his small business said overcrowding had become a problem. “Before, export and import used to happen directly from this market, but due to excessive congestion, it stopped,” he said. “It affects the packing and quality.”
Another customer said, “These things are needed for development.”
