Thousands of Street Vendors Protest at Freedom Park Against BBMP Eviction Drive

Thousands of street vendors from across Bengaluru gathered at Freedom Park on Wednesday to protest the BBMP's ongoing footpath eviction drive, saying the campaign has left many of them without a source of income and pushed their families into financial uncertainty.

The demonstration came a day after the Joint Action Committee of Street Vendors called for a citywide shutdown, urging vendors to keep their businesses closed and join the protest. Several roadside stalls selling fruits, vegetables, flowers and street food remained shut in many parts of the city as vendors participated in the agitation.

Holding placards and raising slogans against the government and the BBMP, the protesters alleged that the civic body's eviction drive was being carried out without offering any alternative space for them to continue their businesses.

Many vendors said they rely entirely on daily earnings to support their families. Several claimed they had borrowed money to set up their stalls and were now struggling to repay loans after being evicted.

"We are not against development or better footpaths. We only want the government to ensure that our families do not lose their only source of livelihood," some of the protesters said during the demonstration.

The protesters urged the state government to stop the eviction drive until a proper rehabilitation policy is put in place. They demanded designated vending zones and implementation of legal protections available to street vendors under existing laws.

The protest follows the Greater Bengaluru Authority's ongoing 'Clean Footpath' campaign, under which BBMP officials, assisted by the police, have been removing encroachments from footpaths across the city. The civic body has maintained that the exercise is necessary to improve pedestrian safety and ensure that public walkways remain accessible.

Street vendors, however, argue that the drive has disproportionately affected people from economically weaker sections who depend on roadside vending for their livelihoods. They said many vendors were removed without being provided an alternative location to conduct business.

On Tuesday, the Joint Action Committee had appealed to vendors across Bengaluru to participate in the protest, estimating that thousands would gather at Freedom Park. Vendors from several parts of the city, including Banashankari, Sarakki, KR Market and other commercial areas, extended support to the agitation.

Representatives of the vendors' associations warned that the protest would not end with Wednesday's demonstration. They said they would intensify their agitation and expand it across Karnataka if the government continued the eviction drive without consulting vendors or announcing a rehabilitation plan.

The associations also urged the government to hold talks with vendor representatives and implement a long-term solution that balances pedestrian convenience with the livelihood needs of thousands of street vendors.

The protest remained peaceful through the day, with vendors reiterating that they were seeking dialogue rather than confrontation. They said they were not opposed to efforts to make Bengaluru's footpaths safer but wanted the authorities to ensure that such initiatives did not come at the cost of their livelihoods.