Street Vendors Protest Against D K Shivakumar’s Relocation Plan: Demonstration at Freedom Park

BM TEAM

Bengaluru: Street vendors across Bengaluru are expressing outrage over Deputy Chief Minister D K K Shivakumar’s recent decision to clear footpath stalls and allow trade only in designated areas. The move, announced by Deputy Chief Minister and Bengaluru Development Minister D.K. Shivakumar, has triggered a wave of anger, with vendors preparing to stage protests.

The Karnataka Progressive Street Vendors Association has strongly criticized D.K. Shivakumar’s stance and has organized a protest at Freedom Park on Tuesday. Vendors from major market hubs such as KR Market, Shivajinagar, Jayanagar, Vijayanagar, Yeshwanthpur, and Gandhi Bazaar are expected to participate.

Earlier, Shivakumar had stated that the government would not allow the construction of stalls along roadsides in the future, citing court directives. Currently, around 3,778 vendors have applied to the BBMP (Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike) for pushcarts. The government plans to distribute 10,000 pushcarts this year. Vendors must register and apply, and only a percentage of registered vendors will be selected. Tenders will be floated to manufacture four types of standardized carts.

Only vendors registered with the BBMP are eligible to apply for these pushcarts. Officials emphasized the need to maintain official records of all street vendors to prevent harassment from police, authorities, and extortionists. Each family will receive only one cart. Additionally, a tracking system will be introduced to monitor where each vendor operates daily. Carts must be stored at home and cannot be sold to others.

The protesting vendors argue that this policy violates the Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act, 2014, which is meant to safeguard their rights. They claim that BBMP officials, acting on the government’s directive, have intensified evictions and frequently confiscate their goods.

Despite surveys identifying around 34,000 street vendors in the city, many remain unrecognized and excluded from official records, leaving them without legal protection. Vendors have also raised concerns about the lack of basic amenities in market areas, including access to toilets, clean drinking water, and electricity.

As tensions escalate, the upcoming protest signals a significant challenge for the government in balancing urban planning with livelihood protection for thousands of informal workers.