Published Jul 07, 2026 | 12:09 PM ⚊ Updated Jul 07, 2026 | 12:09 PM
The Greater Bengaluru Authority removed roadside stalls as part of Safe Footpath Campaign.
Synopsis: Protesting the Karnataka government’s ongoing footpath eviction drive, Bengaluru’s street vendors are set to observe a citywide bandh on 8 July. Vendor associations said the exercise has proceeded without alternative vending spaces or proper notice, leaving many without a way to earn a living.
Bengaluru’s street vendors are set to observe a citywide bandh on Wednesday, 8 July, escalating their protest against the Karnataka government’s ongoing footpath eviction drive.
The Joint Action Committee of Street Vendors, which represents thousands of hawkers and roadside traders, accused authorities of removing vendors without following the provisions of the Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act, 2014.
The dispute centres on the Greater Bengaluru Authority’s “Safe Footpath Campaign”, a drive to clear encroachments from arterial and sub-arterial roads and restore pedestrian access.
While officials insist the goal is to relocate vendors rather than evict them outright, vendor associations said the exercise has proceeded without alternative vending spaces or proper notice, leaving many without a way to earn a living.
Also Read: Safe footpath drive clears 202.7 km across Bengaluru
The committee said the city is home to nearly 1.5 lakh street vendors, many of whom depend entirely on roadside trade to support their families. As part of Wednesday’s protest, roadside fruit and vegetable sellers, pushcart traders, and fast-food stalls are expected to stay shut, which could affect the availability of fresh produce and affordable street food in several parts of the city.
Vendors have posed seven pointed questions to the Karnataka government and Bengaluru Development Minister Krishna Byre Gowda, asking whether the state will compensate traders for losses caused by sudden removals, and why roadside parking is still permitted on streets where vending has been banned.
They also want to know why the government did not engage with vendors or review enforcement of the Street Vendors Act before launching the drive.
“For years, pedestrians and street vendors coexisted without major issues. Today, the government has created a divide between us,” the committee said, adding that while court orders are being cited to justify evictions, the same court’s directions to designate vending zones and offer alternatives have been ignored.
The bandh follows an earlier warning from vendor groups that continued “selective enforcement” using heavy machinery would prompt them to escalate their protest in phases, a threat that culminated in a citywide shutdown call.
(With inputs from Keerthivas.)
