Street vendors oppose footpath eviction drive, plan shutdown on July 9 in Bengaluru

BENGALURU: Street vendors are up in arms against the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) and the state government over clearance of encroachment of footpaths in the city. Around 1.5 lakh street vendors in the city are facing the fear of losing their livelihood.

The Joint Committee of Street Vendors, which has already decided to wage a battle against the government, has also called for a massive protest on July 9 at Freedom Park by halting all trade and business activities. Meanwhile, a committee comprising nine organizations, which is planning to meet the CM, has decided to submit a request to stop the eviction drive. They have decided to make the CM aware of the vendors’ situation and problems.

“There are 15 associations in Bengaluru and nine of them have come together to organise a shutdown on July 9. This is a black day for street vendors who number around 1.3 to 1.5 lakh in the city. In the last three years, the government has done nothing for the welfare of street vendors,but is only creating problems by vacating them. Many have taken loans under central schemes and have to repay it”, said the president of the Nava Karnataka Street Vendors’ Association, Keshavamurthy.

“We even met Bengaluru development minister Krishna Byre Gowda and the GBA chief commissioner and gave a letter opposing the eviction drive, but they did not respond. Legally, the government is supposed to provide us space for vending and we are only asking for space in vending zones”, Keshavamurthy added.