Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister and Bengaluru Development Minister DK Shivakumar
Bengaluru, March 20: The Karnataka government has announced plans to formulate a new policy aimed at improving pedestrian pathways and facilitating smoother public transportation in Bengaluru. Deputy Chief Minister and Minister for Bengaluru Development, DK Shivakumar, made this announcement following a pre-budget meeting for the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) held at Vidhana Soudha.
Shivakumar emphasized that street vendors will not be permitted on major and minor roads. The meeting was attended by various legislators, including opposition leader R Ashoka, as well as members of parliament, legislative council members, and officials from multiple departments, including urban development, police, BESCOM, BMRC, BWSSB, and BDA.
He pointed out that pedestrian pathways have been encroached upon by street vendors, forcing citizens to navigate through traffic. To address this issue, the government aims to designate specific areas for street vendors, allowing pedestrians to move freely.
“Designated spots will be allocated for street vendors, but there will be no allowance for trading on major and minor roads. Vehicles left on the roads during the day will be removed by authorities at night,” he warned.
Currently, around 60,000 street vendors have registered, with 30,000 of them applying for vehicle permits. The tender process for this initiative has already begun.
Furthermore, only those with identification certificates will be permitted to trade as street vendors. Shivakumar clarified that those without such certificates will not be allowed to operate on the roadside. These measures aim to enhance pedestrian pathways while improving traffic management and urban mobility in Bengaluru.
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