Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Friday, March 20, said the government will frame a new policy to prohibit street vending on Bengaluru’s main and sub-main roads, while designating specific vending zones elsewhere, to ease pedestrian movement on pavements.
Speaking to reporters after a meeting of the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) executive committee and budget discussions with MLAs at Vidhana Soudha, he said, “We have decided to introduce a new policy for footpaths. Citizens are struggling to walk due to encroachment by street vendors. Separate spaces will be allocated so pedestrians can use pavements freely,” he said, adding that specific vending roads would be identified and that all MLAs were in agreement.
He warned that carts left overnight would be seized. Of the 60,000 registered vendors, 30,000 had sought vending carts, and tenders had been issued, he said. Only vendors with official ID cards would be permitted to operate.
He said that unauthorised flex banners, across all political parties, would now attract fines ranging from Rs 50,000 to Rs 1 lakh per banner. “Despite repeated warnings, flexes continue to appear. The government has designated locations for advertisements, and permissions must be obtained for those spots. Action will be taken against flexes put anywhere else,” he said, adding that police and municipal officials would be held responsible for enforcement.
He also said decisions on park timings within council limits would be taken in consultation with local MLAs.
Shivakumar said old vehicles abandoned for weeks on city roads would be removed and taken to designated dumping sites identified at Bellahalli, Bidaganhalli, Biddanahalli and Sondekoppa, with more locations to be added. Police have been assigned this responsibility.
Each corporation has also been allotted two towing vehicles, and parking violations will be strictly enforced, he said.
All Bengaluru legislators and officials from the five city corporations attended the meeting in Vidhana Soudha. The five city corporations had prepared individual budgets, and all the MLAs sought ward-wise allocation of funds.
