Around 100 stalls that had allegedly encroached on the approach road to Howrah station were demolished in an operation between Saturday night and early Sunday.

A payloader, which is as much a demolition machine as a political symbol, emerged near the station late on Saturday. It was a joint operation by the Railway Protection Force, Government Railway Police and Howrah City Police.

A large contingent of policemen executed the drive. “Around 90 encroachments were removed between 11pm on Saturday and 2am on Sunday. These stalls had restricted passengers’ access to the station,” said an RPF officer.

Using hailers, officers urged passengers to go about their business and let cops work.

“Passengers who have to board trains, please go to the platforms. Those who are on their way home, go and board a bus. Don’t loiter here. Let the administration do its job,” an officer said on the hailer.

After a couple of hours, the road was littered with the wares of the hawkers. From biryani to fruits and from children’s clothes to soft toys, the stalls sold a variety of products. They occupied the platforms and a section of the road between the Hooghly Ghat and the station. Several hawkers said they were staring at steep financial losses and were unsure where to relocate.

Sealdah station also saw an anti-encroachment drive on Saturday and the night before. But without a payloader.

“Illegal hawkers were removed from both the Sealdah north and south suburban sections,” said an official.

A spokesperson for Eastern Railway said: “These are routine exercises. The respective divisions are authorised to undertake such drives.”