GBA officials removing portions of footpath encroachments by street vendors during an eviction drive on Uttarahalli Road in Bengaluru.
| Photo Credit: FIle Photo
A coalition of several society organisations has written to Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, requesting the State government to halt blanket eviction drives against street vendors and first fully implement the Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act, 2014. In a letter addressed to the Chief Minister, the organisations said Bengaluru needed safer and more accessible streets but argued that improving pedestrian infrastructure “should never come at the cost of the livelihoods of the urban poor.” The signatories, including Workers Collective for Climate Justice South Asia, Public Transport Forum, Center for Policy Research, said the city must prioritise investments in continuous footpaths, accessible public spaces and reliable public transport while discouraging excessive dependence on private vehicles through stricter enforcement against illegal parking and better parking management. “Improving pedestrian infrastructure, however, should not become a justification for evicting street vendors through blanket eviction drives or overnight demolitions. Street vendors are not the problem. Poor street design, illegal parking, and the lack of proper planning are,” the letter stated. The signatories argued that the Street Vendors Act, 2014, provides a legal framework for regulating vending and prohibits the eviction of vendors without following due process, including conducting surveys, constituting Town Vending Committees (TVCs), identifying vending zones and providing suitable alternative vending spaces wherever required. Calling street vending “a legitimate occupation and a vital part of urban economy”, the groups said lakhs of families depended on it for their livelihoods while also providing affordable food, essential goods and services to city residents. The organisations demanded that the government fully implement the Street Vendors Act, immediately stop eviction drives that violate its provisions, ensure no vendor is removed without due process or alternative vending space where mandated, strengthen Town Vending Committees, and redesign streets. They also called for stricter action against illegal parking, expansion of affordable and accessible public transport, the integration of designated vending spaces into street improvement projects, and consultations with street vendors’ organisations, workers’ unions, before undertaking major redevelopment or enforcement drives. Published - July 10, 2026 09:45 pm IST
