Published Jul 10, 2026 | 10:30 AM ⚊ Updated Jul 10, 2026 | 10:30 AM
Karnataka Minister Krishna Byre Gowda.
Synopsis: Minister Krishna Byre Gowda defended the Karnataka government’s ongoing ‘Safe Footpath’ campaign, saying the drive is intended to ensure safe, obstruction-free footpaths for pedestrians and is “not aimed at depriving street vendors of their livelihoods”. He maintained that notices would be issued before any action, describing the process as “planned and transparent”.
Bengaluru Development Minister Krishna Byre Gowda on Thursday, 10 July, defended the Karnataka government’s ongoing “Safe Footpath” campaign, saying the drive is intended to ensure safe, obstruction-free footpaths for pedestrians and is “not aimed at depriving street vendors of their livelihoods”.
He said vendors operating on major arterial and sub-arterial roads would be relocated to suitable ward roads, wherever feasible, rather than being evicted, and directed officials to continue the campaign in a phased manner across Bengaluru.
Byre Gowda said the campaign is being carried out in line with Supreme Court directions on ensuring safe pedestrian access and in accordance with the Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act, 2014.
He maintained that notices would be issued before any action, describing the process as “planned and transparent”. The minister also directed officials to remove abandoned and illegally parked vehicles encroaching on footpaths.
Also Read: Harohalli under consideration as preferred site for Bengaluru’s second greenfield airport
He said Bengaluru’s most pressing civic challenges include traffic congestion, pothole-ridden roads, inefficient waste management and monsoon flooding caused by waterlogging. “I want to project Bengaluru as a global city, but my primary goal is to find lasting solutions to these problems and create an environment where the people of Bengaluru can live peacefully, safely and with a better quality of life,” he said.
Citing road safety concerns, Byre Gowda said 931 pedestrians have died in Bengaluru over the last three years, while around 3,800 people were injured and another 3,500 suffered minor injuries. He also referred to recent data showing that the city records around 1,000 road accident deaths annually, with nearly 30% of the victims being pedestrians, arguing that blocked footpaths force people onto roads and increase the risk of fatal accidents.
The government said the campaign covers nearly 2,000 km of arterial and sub-arterial roads, around 20 percent of Bengaluru’s road network, and that 70 crore has been earmarked for repairing damaged footpaths, including replacing slabs, fixing kerbstones and correcting level differences.
Officials said 202.7 km of footpaths were cleared in the first three days of the drive, including 76.5 km on the first day. Enforcement against abandoned vehicles has also begun, with warning stickers issued from 1 July, towing from 10 July after a seven-day grace period, and auctions planned for vehicles that remain unclaimed.
The minister’s remarks come amid protests by street vendor unions, which have alleged that vendors were removed without the mandatory notice period or referral to Town Vending Committees.
(With inputs from Keerthivas.)
