The Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) announced on 9 July 2026 that it will conduct a new survey of street vendors, after complaints that the previous count captured just over 30,000 traders while the real figure exceeds 80,000. The move aims to bring the city’s informal economy into the legal framework of the Street Vendors Act, 2014, and to ensure vendors receive proper identification and designated vending zones.

Background and Legal Framework

The 2014 Act provides a statutory structure for street vendors, offering them identity cards, protection from arbitrary removal and a right to designated vending spaces. In practice, many cities struggle with incomplete surveys, unregistered stalls and encroachments that distort the actual number of traders.

GBA’s New Strategy

Minister Krishna Byre Gowda, speaking to vendor association leaders, outlined a plan to establish provisional Town Vending Committees (TVCs). These committees will issue new identity cards and help relocate vendors to sanctioned zones. The authority has already removed 2,285 advertising hoardings, 1,581 encroaching steps and 1,791 other footpath obstructions, freeing up 10% of pedestrian space.

Road Safety and Urban Renewal

With 935 pedestrian fatalities, 3,601 accidents and 3,800 injuries reported over the past three years, GBA has prioritized road safety. Beginning 10 July, the removal of abandoned vehicles from footpaths will commence, and the agency plans to auction these assets through legal channels. This initiative is part of a broader effort to improve pedestrian infrastructure across the city.

Vendor Perspectives and Future Challenges

Street vendors voiced concerns over under‑counting that forces them to operate in informal spaces. Gowda stressed that the reform is not punitive but restorative. By reallocating footpath space, vendors can move to interior roads, potentially reducing traffic congestion and accidents while ensuring their livelihoods remain protected.