The high court on Friday rejected a plea by hawkers around Dakshineswar temple seeking a stay on their eviction for the construction of a skywalk.

Justice Samapti Chatterjee, who heard the plea, said the hawkers would have to start leaving the skywalk construction site from Saturday and the process should be completed by December 19.

The judge sought a compliance report from the state government by December 21.

Chief minister Mamata Banerjee had laid the foundation stone for the skywalk, a 400m-long elevated walkway above the congested Rani Rashmoni Road.

The narrow 350m-long road leads to the main entrance of the temple, which is visited by 13 million people annually. Vehicles and pedestrians jostle for space on the stretch lined by hawkers and other encroachers on either side.

On December 9, Justice Chatterjee in another order had said that the hawkers would have to vacate the sidewalks on either side of Rani Rashmoni Road within three days to facilitate the construction of the skywalk.

Those who would vacate the spot within three days would be compensated and rehabilitated on the nearby Ma Sarada Road, the judge had said.

"Those who will not leave the spot within the stipulated period will be evicted without compensation or rehabilitation," Justice Chatterjee had stated in the earlier order.

On December 10, state urban development minister Firhad Hakim had served fresh notices on the hawkers informing them about the court order.

The Rani Rashmoni Road Dokandar Samity, the hawkers' union near the temple, submitted a petition in high court on Friday seeking more time to carry out the court order.

Samity's counsel Sabyasachi Bhattacharya told the judge: "The court should realise the problem of my clients before evicting them. They have been told by the government to shift to Ma Sarada Road. But the area is not fit for doing business."

Advocate general Jayanta Mitra opposed the prayer and said the hawkers had been asked to shift at a nearby place convenient for business.

"If the hawkers are shifted to Ma Sarada Road, then the court should ask the temple committee to close gate No. 2," the petitioner's counsel told the court.

Gate No. 2 is the main gate and if it is closed, visitors will have to enter the temple through Ma Sarada Road.

Mitra opposed this prayer and asked: "Who are they to dictate which gate of the temple will be closed?"

Bhattacharya then said the hawkers were ready to assist the government in constructing the skywalk but needed more time.

The advocate general then pointed out that the construction was stalled for 18 months because of the hawkers.

Justice Chatterjee rejected the stay petition and fixed the matter for hearing on December 21.