BENGALURU: A day after 50-odd vendors were removed from the BBMP subway to ensure inauguration of the new Metro subway, they were back in business right from 7 am on Wednesday. As the day wore on, sex workers too were back calling out to public walking here. So were many shoppers who thronged the place looking for products at throwaway prices.Panic has clearly set in among the shopkeepers after they were evicted on Tuesday and Bengaluru Development Minister K J George spoke of plans to hand it over to Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) so that it could be upgraded.
Ismail Khan, running a small shop selling mobile covers says, “I am able to feed my wife and children because of this business. I have been here for seven years. Tell me where we will all go now?”
His neighbour, Geelani, running a mobile phone charger business, said, “Most of us make profits ranging between `300 and `500 a day. What will we do if we are suddenly asked to leave like this?” Shoe seller Wayaz asks, “Will the BBMP or anyone give us alternative space?”
Despite the major aesthetic appeal the place would have if shoppers are evacuated and a facelift given, public seem to be in favour of having them around. Kamalanathan, production manager at a rice firm and wife Sharmila Nagendran, manager at a student recruitment firm for overseas universities, both feel these vendors need to be there. “In the interests of safety of women, it will always help if so many shops are around when they want to walk through this subway, particularly during nights.”