Bengaluru: With the BBMP planning to set up an underground air-conditioned market in Vijayanagar, several vendors, operating on the service road at the junction of 8th Main Road, were recently told to vacate.
This Palike bazaar will be built on the lines of Delhi’s Palika Bazaar, but activists allege there is little clarity regarding the project.
The street market has functioned for over four decades and offers a variety of items such as vegetables, fruits, flowers and pooja materials. As of now, there are more than 150 street-side shops across a stretch of 500 metres on this road.
Street vendors are uset with the proposal for underground market. “We are happy doing our business here and who will come to the underground market to buy things?” said S. Babu, President of Bengaluru Jilla Beedhi Vyapari Sanghatanegala Okkuta.
In addition, civic activists allege there is a lack of transparency and public consultation regarding the project. Lekha of Alternative Law Forum said, “No one knows what is happening. Despite filling a RTI months ago, I haven’t got any reply about DPR (detailed project report) of the underground market.”
The estimated cost of project is said to be around Rs 28 crore and it will accommodate only 45 shops. “They won’t be allocating these shops to the local vendors here,” Lekha pointed out.
“There are more than 150 street vendors in the market and the new market can fit in only 45 shops. What will the other vendors do?,” Babu said.
