Street vendors to be relocated, not evicted: Minister Byre Gowda

Bengaluru,

Greater Bengaluru Development Minister Krishna Byre Gowda on Thursday clarified that street vendors within the GBA limits will not be evicted, but are instead being relocated from arterial and sub-arterial roads to ward roads to ensure pedestrian safety. Addressing a virtual conference with concerned officials reviewing the ongoing footpath encroachment clearance drive in the city, he directed officials to clear not only street vendors from footpaths, but abandoned vehicles and illegally parked vehicles to build smooth and organised footpaths for citizens.

Opposing the move, the street vendors have alleged that the drive was "selective" and came with out providing any alternatives. They claimed that their livelihood is affected. Gowda instructed officials to provide information on permitting street vendors to conduct business on ward roads, excluding major arterial and subarterial roads, in a manner that does not cause any inconvenience to the public. "If we utilise the existing system effectively, we will gain public support, and even seemingly impossible tasks can be achieved. In this regard, all officials must work in coordination to build smooth, safe, and organized footpaths for the citizens of Bengaluru," he said.

He directed officials to construct high-quality footpaths to facilitate safe and smooth movement for pedestrians. According to him, necessary steps must be taken to launch a drive to clear abandoned vehicles parked on the roadsides of the city, starting July 10. A plan should be chalked out to launch a campaign to clear bulk construction debris and wild vegetation in the city after July 15, he added. This campaign should be conducted jointly with the cooperation of the municipal corporation, Metro, and Railway departments. "All departments must work in coordination to make the city cleaner and more beautiful," he directed.

The Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) went into the second day of its footpath encroach ment drive on Thursday. The drive is aimed at clearing footpaths, in line with the Supreme Court’s ruling recently that the right to walk safely is a fundamental right and part of citizens’ right to life and free movement under Articles 19 and 21. In the city, the GBA be gan its drive with clearing of arterial and sub-arterial roads using construction machines, tractors and personnel. However, the street vendors have expressed that their livelihoods are being taken away for the purposes of the drive. In Shivajinagar, shopkeepers were given a rude awakening, having come to see parts of their shops dismantled and debris strewn in front of it.

“We came late. We should’ve come an hour before. They had started in the morning and we came when they were done. They have gone through the whole street and removed things. They told whoever was here not to put things on the footpath. They said they will come back as well, so if we put our things back, they’ll remove it again. We’ll wait until it’s blown over and then probably put it back,” said Ismael, owner of a street cart in Shivajinagar. The GBA has hauled away entire tin stalls that were placed on the road and used the construction vehicles to destroy hoardings, shades and steps. Street vendors to whom the drive had not come up to yet expressed fear and exasperation about the oncoming drive.

"We have been hearing about it here and there. But this is our livelihood. Without this we don't have any thing. They haven't told us anything. Some workers came and took pictures in the morning. Mostly they will come and tell us to go soon," Manjunath, a fruit seller in Richmond Town said. Minister for Greater Bengaluru Development Krishna Byre Gowda tried to clarify the corporations’ actions and stated, “Those who are conducting business on the foot paths can continue their business on alternative roads, leaving the major roads. It is not the government's intention to disrupt anyone's livelihood. However, the government cannot sit idle when people are losing their lives because they cannot use the footpaths,” he said in a video message.

Unions and associations of street vendors have seen the drive as a violation of the law and targeted towards their livelihood, and have expressed strong condem nation of it. When the drive was announced, the Karnataka Pragathipara Vyaparigala Sangha (KP BVS) demanded the full implementation of the Street Vendors Act. On Thursday, they sent a memorandum to Krishna Byre Gowda that expressed their demands which included that the street vendors who were evicted should be allowed to trade again in the same place and if they are blocking the footpath, vendors should be given a temporary place where they can trade. Secondly, all confiscated goods should be returned, thirdly, the illegal eviction, con fiscation and harassment of street vendors should be stopped immediately.