The city's Safe Footpath campaign has evicted hundreds of street vendors and seized their goods within a week, igniting a fierce dispute between informal traders and municipal authorities.

Key Takeaways

  • The Safe Footpath drive earmarks 1,500 km of roads as "no vending zones".
  • Vendors cite four violations of the 2014 Street Vendors Act.
  • Six vendor unions plan a strike on July 8, challenging the eviction drive.

The Bengaluru municipal corporation launched the Safe Footpath campaign to clear pedestrian pathways and improve walkability. Within seven days, the operation has targeted thousands of informal traders across Malleshwaram, Vijayanagar, Kengeri and R.R. Nagar, evicting them and confiscating merchandise.

Legal Framework and Background

Under the Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act, 2014, a vendor cannot be removed until a comprehensive survey is completed and a registration ID is issued. The 2024 survey recorded only 34,000 vendors, while estimates suggest over 80,000 operate in Bengaluru. Vendor unions argue the government deliberately under‑counted them, violating the spirit of the law.

Resistance and Core Grievances

Vendors contend that evictions were carried out without prior notice, and seized goods were not documented in writing. In Vijayanagar, protests forced officials to retreat after two days of attempted removals. The unions highlighted four key breaches: incomplete surveys, lack of ID cards, absence of written notices, and the illegal declaration of "no vending zones" without an empowered Town Vending Committee, whose term expired in 2023.

Political Response and Future Implications

Greater Bengaluru Development Minister Krishna Byre Gowda announced that roughly 10% of the city's road network will be designated as no‑vending zones, arguing that vendors can relocate to inner lanes. Critics, however, label this a false binary that pits pedestrians against vendors, noting that most pedestrian fatalities occur on vehicular roads, not footpaths.

Upcoming Strike and Policy Outlook

On July 8, a coalition of six vendor unions will stage a citywide hawker strike, demanding an immediate halt to evictions, restoration of seized goods, and full enforcement of the 2014 Act. The strike could pressure municipal authorities to rethink the unilateral approach and explore inclusive solutions such as designated hawking zones that balance pedestrian safety with livelihood protection.