Hawkers in Kolkata numbering 275,000 generated business worth ₹ 87.72 billion (around 2 billion USD) in 2005.[1] In Kolkata, formerly known as Calcutta, in the Indian state of West Bengal, almost 80 per cent of the pavements are encroached by hawkers and illegal settlers.[2] In many countries, hawkers use pavements or other public places to retail their goods or services but in Kolkata the magnitude has drawn special attention of administrators and law courts.