BENGALURU: Thousands of street vendors staged a protest at Freedom Park here on Wednesday against their eviction from footpaths as part of GBA’s ‘Safe Footpath’ campaign. Alleging that the drive has deprived them of their livelihoods, the vendors demanded that they be allowed to continue their business as usual. A delegation from Beedhi Vyaparigala Janti Horata Samiti, a coalition of street vendors’ associations, met Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) Chief Commissioner M Maheshwar Rao and submitted a memorandum to him in support of their demands.
They said Rao promised them that a detailed discussion would be held with them in the coming days after consulting Bengaluru Development Minister Krishna Byre Gowda.
The vendors had given a call for bandh on Wednesday in protest against their eviction from footpaths in the city. They claimed that their bandh call evoked a good response in KR Market, Gandhi Bazaar, Malleswaram, Vijayanagar, Koramangala, Banashankari, Jayanagar, Shivajinagar, Gandhinagar, and other places.
Holding placards, the vendors raised slogans against the drive and demanded that their eviction be stopped immediately. They said they should be allowed to resume their business at their earlier places or provide temporary space for them there. A decision in this regard must be taken by the Town Vending Committee (TVC).
They said their goods and vehicles, including push carts, seized by GBA personnel should be returned to them. They also demanded that compensation be given to them for the damage caused to their goods and vehicles.
The vendors urged the state government to implement the Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act, 2014, conduct a comprehensive survey of vendors, and issue ID cards and vending certificates to them.
They said footpaths should be widened to provide space to them. Stringent action should be taken against those parking vehicles on footpaths. Civic officials should act against those using footpaths to develop gardens and for other purposes, they added.