BELAGAVI/BENGALURU: Chief Minister DK Shivakumar said the state government would ensure that street vendors affected by the ongoing eviction drive in Bengaluru are rehabilitated without disrupting their livelihoods.
Speaking to the media in Belagavi on Friday, he said the government plans to rehabilitate thousands of street vendors across Bengaluru by initiating effective measures.
Shivakumar clarified that the eviction of roadside vendors was being carried out in compliance with court directions and was not a unilateral decision by Greater Bengaluru Development Minister Krishna Byre Gowda. He said the issue had been discussed earlier with MLAs from all political parties representing Bengaluru before a decision was taken.
The Chief Minister said the government had conducted a survey and identified nearly 60,000 street vendors in Bengaluru. Of them, around 30,000 have already applied for identity cards.
Vendors issued identity cards will be provided with push carts, two-wheelers, and three-wheelers to help them continue their businesses from designated roadside locations. However, they will have to vacate the space after business hours each day.
Shivakumar made it clear that permanent structures or tents would not be allowed on major roads, as the government aims to balance compliance with court orders while safeguarding the livelihoods of street vendors.
Meanwhile in Bengaluru, Shivakumar said 9,878 encroachments on 435 km of footpaths across the city have been cleared under the Safe Footpath Campaign. Shivakumar on Friday inspected major road stretches where the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) has been removing encroachments by street vendors since July 1. He said the footpath campaign would continue across the five city corporations and asserted that the government would provide designated vending zones for street vendors.
Addressing media after reviewing the drive, Shivakumar said authorities have cleared 1,340 shops, 1,800 push carts, 2,267 shops that had erected mental sheet extensions, steps and ramps at 2,300 locations, pillar and signboards at 2,662 locations and 2,247 sheds during the drive. “The debris during the drive have been removed and damaged footpaths have been repaired,” the CM said.
Responding to criticisms over the eviction of vendors and putting their livelihood in peril, he said street vendors are “our people” and the government would allow vending at designated locations and revive the process of issuing identity cards to street vendors.
He alleged that a big mafia was behind the alleged illegal occupation of footpaths and claimed that rowdy elements were collecting money. He defended the campaign, stating that 900 pedestrians have lost lives in the city underlining the need to restore footpaths.
