Greater Bengaluru Launches Massive Footpath Encroachment Clearance Drive Across Five City Corporations; Citizens, Businesses Urged to Remove Encroachments Voluntarily
Bengaluru, July 1: The Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) on Wednesday launched a large-scale footpath encroachment clearance drive across all five city corporations under its jurisdiction as part of the “Safe Footpath Campaign”, with the objective of ensuring safe, uninterrupted and barrier-free movement for pedestrians across Bengaluru.
The city-wide enforcement drive is being carried out under the directions of Greater Bengaluru Development Minister Krishna Byre Gowda and the guidance of Chief Commissioner Maheshwar Rao. Officials removed encroachments from major arterial and sub-arterial roads across the five city corporations, restoring pedestrian access on footpaths that had been obstructed by various unauthorized structures.
The GBA stated that footpaths are public assets meant exclusively for pedestrians and that their encroachment creates serious inconvenience and safety risks for citizens. The campaign aims to reclaim pedestrian spaces by removing illegal occupations and ensuring that residents can walk safely without obstruction.
Teams comprising civic officials, police personnel and enforcement staff carried out the operation using JCBs, tractors and other machinery. During the drive, authorities removed unauthorized signboards, staircases extending onto footpaths, OFC cables, protruding roof sheets, construction debris, pushcarts, permanent kiosks, temporary sheds, illegal iron structures and other obstructions that hindered pedestrian movement.
The authority appealed to shop owners, commercial establishments, private institutions and street vendors across the five city corporations to voluntarily remove encroachments from footpaths. Officials warned that failure to comply would invite enforcement action under the applicable rules, including removal of encroachments and legal proceedings wherever necessary.
At Madiwala Market, civic officials conducted an awareness campaign, advising traders to confine their goods within designated spaces and ensure proper disposal of waste. Authorities warned that from next Friday, encroachments would be removed and penalties imposed. Traders were advised to conduct business without inconveniencing pedestrians, failing which a fine of ₹5,000 could be imposed and goods kept on footpaths would be seized.
In Bengaluru East City Corporation, under the leadership of Commissioner Ramesh D., encroachments were cleared along the Marathahalli–Iblur Junction stretch, Hope Farm–Varthur Road, ITPL Main Road, Outer Ring Road, Tin Factory, Ramamurthy Nagar Main Road, Kundalahalli and Hoodi Road.
In Bengaluru Central City Corporation, Commissioner Jagadish supervised clearance operations from Trinity Junction to M.G. Park, 100 Feet Indiranagar Road to Domlur Flyover, Vivekananda Metro Station to Benniganahalli Railway Bridge, Ashoka Pillar to Madhavan Park, Kanakanapalya Road to 15th Cross in Jayanagar, Teachers’ College to South End Circle on R.V. Road, besides Okalipuram and the Majestic area.
In Bengaluru South City Corporation, Commissioner Ramesh K.N. led operations covering Uttarahalli, 80 Feet Road near R.V. Institute, Kothanur, Vishwapriya Layout, Gururaja Layout in Padmanabhanagar, R.V. Road in Jayanagar, J.P. Nagar, HSR Layout, Koramangala, BTM 2nd Stage and several other major roads where encroachments by roadside vendors and commercial establishments were removed.
In Bengaluru North City Corporation, Commissioner Pommala Sunil Kumar oversaw the drive on Yelahanka Sandeep Unnikrishnan Road, Munireddy Palya Road in Hebbal, Vidyaranyapura Main Road, Sahakara Nagar (Railway Parallel Road), Clark Road and Banaswadi Main Road.
In Bengaluru West City Corporation, Commissioner Dr. Rajendra K.V. supervised operations on Tumakuru Main Road, Mysuru Road, Outer Ring Road, Magadi Main Road, West of Chord Road, M.E.I. Road, M.K.K. Road, Dasarahalli (Lake Road), Chandra Layout, Govindarajanagar, Corporation Market, Sampige Road, Rajajinagar, DVG Road, Bull Temple Road, Katriguppe Road and Bhuvaneshwari Nagar Road.
The Greater Bengaluru Authority said the special campaign would continue across all five city corporations and that complaints received from the public would be acted upon promptly to strengthen the enforcement drive further.
Speaking on the initiative, Krishna Byre Gowda said Bengaluru residents have a fundamental right to safe and obstruction-free footpaths. He appealed to citizens, traders and commercial establishments to cooperate with the civic administration in keeping footpaths free from encroachments. He emphasized that the initiative should evolve into a people’s movement rather than remain merely a government campaign.
The Minister also reiterated that the government remains committed to protecting the livelihoods of street vendors. He said that, except for approximately 20 per cent of priority roads designated as restricted corridors, street vendors would be allowed to carry out their business on other roads, provided pedestrian movement is not obstructed.
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