BENGALURU: Activists on Saturday said BBMP evicted 40 vendors, alleging that they had set up shops in a place where encroachments were cleared in November 2023. The drive violated a high court order, they said.
Activist Vinay Srinivasa from the Federation of Street Vendors Associations said, “On behalf of street vendors from Jayanagar 4th Block, a writ petition was filed in the High Court, which directed the police and Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike not to harass 78 petitioners. Despite that, the BBMP and police are evicting the vendors, which amounts to contempt of court.”
The vendors put up shops from 8 am till noon and again from 7 pm to 10 pm. “But BBMP marshals chase these vendors. They say they have a high court order, but refuse to show it. When we say their action is contempt of court, they tell us to file a contempt petition,” he said.
A senior official from the BBMP South Zone said that in November, the BBMP, with the help of police, had cleared encroachments on the premises of Jayanagar complex, based on High Court directions. But the vendors are trying to put up shops again.”Vendors have been asked to vacate as it is a public space. We will find a place and notify them. We will allow them to conduct their business and have already issued identity cards to them,” he added.