Street vendors reoccupy footpaths, roads after drive, minister directs officials to impose penalties on encroachers

BENGALURU: The footpath clearance drive has been completed, but now street vendors have started occupying roads in the very same cleared areas again. Bengaluru Development Minister Krishna Byre Gowda has instructed officials to check who is doing business on footpaths again and take action.

Around 490 km of footpaths have been cleared in Bengaluru. Vendors were strictly instructed not to do business on footpaths. But 3-4 days after the clearance drive, vendors have started doing business again on footpaths in some places like around Victoria Hospital, right in the same spots.

Following this, Bengaluru City Development Minister Krishna Byre Gowda has directed officials to inspect and take action.A large-scale footpath clearance drive was carried out on K R Market Road and Victoria Hospital Road in Bengaluru.

But 3-4 days after the clearance drive, business has started again on the footpath on Victoria Hospital Road. Instructions have been given to take action against those who are doing business on footpaths again.

“It is not only about street vendors, we have cleared encroachments on footpaths by 10,000 business establishments and institutions. If they encroach the footpaths again, we will impose penalties on them and I have directed the officials in this regard, minister Krishna Byre Gowda said.