Maxwell Food Centre hawkers are asking for help, from rental subsidies to more carpark space for customers, after earnings fell by as much as half owing to construction work for the upcoming Thomson- East Coast MRT line.

Construction hoardings put up in mid-2014 give the impression that the food centre, with more than 100 stalls, is not in operation. To make matters worse, a carpark serving the centre was closed in March and will remain shut until June 2018.

At least 10 stalls have closed in the last three months, said a representative for the stallholders. Most of the hawkers have signed a petition to the National Environment Agency appealing for rental relief.

The Land Transport Authority said it is working closely with hawkers to put up signs on the hoardings to tell people that the centre is open.

Yuen Sin

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