Despite eviction, footpath vendors return to street

by news
May 7, 2015

Bengaluru: Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) evicted street vendors, who were encroaching upon footpaths at Jayanagar Shopping Complex here on Thursday morning. However, some of the vendors occupied the footpaths again in the evening.

Representational photo

“There are more than 100 footpath vendors who have encroached the pavements. Due to them, visitors struggle to enter the complex. The civic agency is being partial. While they collect fine if shopkeepers keep their items outside their shops, they do not take any action against the vendors barring drives to clear them away,” said Noor, member of the Jayanagar Shopping Complex Merchants Association and one of the traders to the sources.

The shop keepers complained that on April 8, Palike seized goods from around 100- 150 shopkeepers for displaying their goods outside.

“There are more than 400 – 500 shops inside the complex but due to the menace of footpath vendors, the business has taken a beating. The encroachment is taking place for more than ten years. The hawkers open shops from 10 am and continue their business till 9 pm to 10 pm,” said another trader, M Ahmed.