Bengaluru Street Vendors Rally Against Footpath Eviction Drive, Demand Livelihood Protection

Updated 12 July 2026 12:01 PM

Street vendors in Bengaluru staged a large protest on Monday against what they describe as a sudden and sweeping eviction drive by the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) that has cleared footpaths across the city’s busiest commercial stretches. The demonstration, which began near the BBMP head office on NR Square, drew participants from areas including Chickpet, Avenue Road, KR Market, Shivajinagar, and Jayanagar.

Eviction Drive Triggers Outcry

According to vendor representatives, BBMP enforcement teams accompanied by police began removing stalls, pushcarts, and makeshift structures from designated vending zones and footpaths early last week. The operation targeted areas that have long hosted informal trade, some for decades. Vendors say they received no formal notice, no survey intimation, and no alternative vending sites as required under the Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act, 2014.

“We have been vending here for 20 years. My father sold vegetables on this same pavement. Now they come with bulldozers and tell us to vanish,” said a 42-year-old fruit seller from Chickpet who gave his name as Ramesh. “No notice, no survey, no rehabilitation. Just eviction.”

Legal Framework and Gaps

The 2014 central law mandates that every urban local body conduct a survey of street vendors, issue identity cards, allocate vending zones, and form a Town Vending Committee (TVC) with vendor representation. Evictions can only occur after a vendor is declared ineligible or a zone is denotified — and only after providing alternative space.

Vendor unions allege Bengaluru has failed on multiple counts:

• Surveys remain incomplete in several wards despite repeated deadlines.
• Identity cards have not been issued to a large section of vendors.
• Town Vending Committees exist on paper but have not met regularly.
• Vending zones notified on maps often lack basic infrastructure — water, toilets, lighting, waste disposal.

“The law is clear: no eviction without rehabilitation. But the BBMP treats the Act as optional,” said Geetha Menon, coordinator of the Bengaluru Street Vendors’ Union. “They want clean footpaths for the Smart City image, but they forget the city runs on our labour.”

BBMP’s Stance

BBMP officials maintain the drive targets “encroachments” that obstruct pedestrian movement and violate traffic norms. A senior engineer from the encroachment clearance wing said the operation follows High Court directions to keep footpaths clear. “We are not against vendors. We are against unauthorised occupation. Those with valid ID cards and allotted zones will not be touched,” the official said, requesting anonymity.

However, vendors at the protest countered that many holding valid cards were also removed. “My card expires in 2026. They still threw my cart,” said a flower vendor from KR Market.

Economic Stakes

Street vending is a primary livelihood for an estimated 1.5 to 2 lakh people in Bengaluru, supporting entire households. The informal sector contributes significantly to the city’s food security, last-mile retail, and employment absorption. A 2022 study by the Indian Institute for Human Settlements estimated that street vendors in Bengaluru generate daily transactions worth several crores, serving low- and middle-income consumers who rely on affordable, accessible goods.

“If you remove us, who sells the ₹10 coriander bunch? The ₹50 tomato kilo? Supermarkets don’t serve that market,” said a vegetable vendor from Shivajinagar. “The city needs us. We need the city. There has to be a way.”

Protest Demands

The demonstrators submitted a memorandum to the BBMP Commissioner demanding:

• Immediate halt to evictions until surveys are completed and ID cards issued to all eligible vendors.
• Functional Town Vending Committees with 40% vendor representation as per law.
• Time-bound notification and development of vending zones with civic amenities.
• Compensation for goods seized and carts damaged during the recent drive.
• A moratorium on evictions during the ongoing cost-of-living crisis.

Union leaders said they would escalate to a city-wide strike and legal action if the demands are not addressed within two weeks.

Broader Context

Bengaluru’s footpath eviction drives are not new. Similar operations in 2017, 2019, and 2022 triggered protests and court interventions. Each time, the cycle repeats: clearance, outcry, partial rollback, then gradual return of vendors to the same spots. Urban planners argue the solution lies not in repeated evictions but in integrating street vending into city design — through permanent markets, hawker zones, and pedestrian-friendly vending corridors.

“Cities like Bangkok, Singapore, and even Indore have shown it’s possible,” said an urban researcher who did not wish to be named. “It requires political will and administrative capacity. Bengaluru has neither consistently.”

What Happens Next

As of Monday evening, BBMP had not issued a formal response to the memorandum. The Commissioner’s office acknowledged receipt and said a meeting with vendor representatives would be scheduled “soon.” Meanwhile, vendors at the protest site said they would maintain a dharna until written assurances are given.

The outcome will test whether Bengaluru’s governance can move beyond reactive enforcement to a structured, lawful accommodation of its informal workforce — a workforce that keeps the city fed, moving, and affordable for millions.

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