Take a walk! Hawkers lay claim to footpaths in Bengaluru

Bengaluru: TenderSure roads were meant to be pedestrian friendly with ample space for footpath. But now even they have become vulnerable to encroachment by hawkers, often forcing pedestrians to use the road and risk their lives.

“The TenderSure roads were built specifically to ensure better and more useful footpaths for pedestrians, but these roads are now being taken over by the street vendors obstructing the path. This creates a lot of problems,” said Nirmala, who frequently uses Residency Road.

On July 2014, the High Court had issued directions to BBMP to remove unauthorised encroachments and obstructions on the footpaths under section 288-D of Karnataka Municipal Corporation Act, 1976.

However, according to Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act, 2014, street vending is legal and anyone can do so; unless the corporation conducts a survey and issues IDs to them, but no one can be evicted.

“In 2013, the Supreme Court said the already existing policy should be treated as a law and passed this order. According to national urban livelihood mission, the court also sought a survey of street vendors and distribute ID cards to the identified ones and create hawking zones for them, which is not being done,” said Vinay Sreenivasa of Bengaluru Jilla Beedhi Vyapari Sanghatanegala Okkuta.

Litter on footpaths
Adding to the space crunch, the disposal of garbage and other food waste by the vendors on the roadside becomes an eye sore and defeats the purpose of these paths.

Vijay, a street vendor near Vittal Mallya Road, said, “I usually give the waste to pourakarmikas or take it home, but there are vendors who just leave it at the same place.”