Bengaluru to soon have policy to curb street vending on main roads

Bengaluru: Deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar on Friday said the state government will frame a new policy to ban street vending on main and sub-main roads in Bengaluru, while earmarking designated zones for vendors.

His announcement followed a meeting of the executive committee of the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) and a joint budget discussion with five city corporations in Bengaluru. Officials from i BESCOM, BMRCL, BWSSB and BDA, attended the meeting along with ministers and legislators. Leader of Opposition R Ashok (BJP) also participated.

Shivakumar said encroachment of footpaths by vendors has made pedestrian movement difficult, prompting a consensus among MLAs to create dedicated vending zones. “Specific roads will be identified for street vending so that footpaths are free for pedestrians,” he said.


The minister warned that carts left parked on roads overnight would be seized. Of the around 60,000 registered street vendors, about 30,000 have applied for vending carts, for which tenders have been floated. Only vendors with valid identity cards will be permitted to operate, Shivakumar said.

HEAVY FINES ON ILLEGAL FLEX

The Dy CM also announced that the civic bodies will impose stricter penalties on unauthorised flexes and banners in Bengaluru. Those putting up illegal flexes will face fines from Rs 50,000 to Rs 1 lakh per display. “Despite repeated warnings, illegal flexes continue to be put up. Henceforth, strict enforcement will be ensured by police and civic authorities,” he said, adding that designated locations are available for authorised displays.

The government also plans to address long-pending issues of abandoned vehicles. Shivakumar said vehicles left parked on roads for extended periods will be towed and shifted to designated dumping yards, with sites identified at Bellahalli, Bidaganhalli, Biddanahalli and Sondekoppa.

On parking enforcement, he said each corporation has been equipped with two towing vehicles and action will be taken against vehicles parked in no-parking zones.

He also said decisions on park timings within municipal limits would be taken in consultation with local MLAs. On demands from legislators for allocations of Rs 5 crore-Rs 10 crore per municipal ward, Shivakumar said allocations would be decided after examining the demands.