BENGALURU: The Karnataka Pragathi Para Beedhi Vyaparigala Sangha has strongly opposed the policy proposed by the state government and Greater Bengaluru Authority to ban street vending on arterial and sub-arterial roads in Bengaluru, calling it “illegal, unconstitutional, and a betrayal of the poor”.
The organisation warned of protests if the policy is not withdrawn. The Sangha pointed out that the Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act, 2014, has not been fully implemented even a decade after its enactment. Surveys remain incomplete, many vendors have not been issued identity cards, and thousands are yet to be registered, it said.
It argued that penalising vendors under such circumstances is unjust. The proposed blanket ban is contrary to the law, which mandates that Town Vending Committees decide designated vending zones. These panels have not yet been constituted in the newly formed municipal bodies. Citing Supreme Court rulings, the Sangha said street vending is part of the fundamental right to livelihood.
It also maintained that vendors contribute to safer and more vibrant streets by increasing footfall and discouraging crimes such as chain-snatching and harassment. It attributed pedestrian issues to factors such as road designs favouring private vehicles, commercial encroachments, illegal parking, and unauthorised installations. It warned that relocating vendors to designated zones away from main roads would severely impact livelihoods, particularly for the elderly and vulnerable families who lack storage facilities or the ability to move heavy carts.