BENGALURU: After an anxious wait of over a decade, vendors in Malleswaram are finally expected to return to their allotted shops at the newly constructed complex on Sampige Road, between 11th and 13th Cross. But will this solve long-standing problem of congestion and encroachment? It seems, no.
“We expect the pending work to be completed by September 30,” said Vijayakumar, chief contractor for the BDA project. Vendors said similar promises had been made since 2022. Though preliminary drawings were released on May 5, 2016, the project continued to drag on. The contractor said revisions in National Building Code guidelines, changes in Bescom policy, resistance from vendors to vacate, BBMP’s delay in handing over a clear site and slow progress during the lockdown contributed to the delay.
The original shops were demolished on January 28, 2015. “In the new complex, 183 vendors will be shifted to the ground floor. Most of them are currently running temporary stalls on the North and East sides of the complex,” said a senior BDA official.
The new complex, however, will not entirely solve issues of congestion and encroachment. While traffic on Sampige Road, primarily occupied by florists, is likely to ease, unauthorised vendors have occupied bylanes.
A senior corporation official said, “We evict the vendors, but they return the next day. The problem persists even though the Malleswaram Traders Association filed complaints, and police took action multiple times.” Encroachment has now spread beyond 8th Cross, said Sreesh Babu, a senior citizen living in Malleswaram.
“Footpaths on 11th Cross, East Park Road, West Park Road, and even parts of 9th Cross are occupied. This has led to double-sided parking. Paying road tax feels pointless when there’s hardly any space on the road,” he added.
Malleswaram is classified as a residential-cum-commercial zone. While many vendors depend on the area for their livelihood, it is also home to several residents. Shopkeepers, who pay taxes and dues, complain that their storefronts remain blocked and overlooked because of these vendors.
Another senior official said the issue may be resolved once a dedicated “vending zone” is created for unregistered sellers.