A total of 186 street vendors, including handicraft vendors, sugarcane juice vendors, fast food outlets, tea stalls, coconut vendors, and churumuri and groundnut vendors, were removed from the areas around the Mysuru Palace. | Photo credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
A street vendor association has sought the authorities’ intervention after vendors were removed from the vicinity of the Mysuru Palace in the wake of the recent helium cylinder explosion that claimed three lives and injured two others.
Karnataka State Street Vendors Maha Mandala President Bhaskar Srinivasa Raje Urs has submitted representations to several authorities, including the State Chief Secretary, Mysuru Deputy Commissioner, Mysuru City Corporation Commissioner and Union Minister of State for Housing and Urban Affairs, seeking permission for street vendors to resume operations under the provisions of the Street Vendors, V1.4 Protection Act
On his behalf, Mr. Urs pointed out that the Act and the rules contained therein provide for the identification of vending zones, issuance of identity cards to vendors and compliance with safety standards, including the mandatory use of approved commercial gas cylinders for food-related activities.
According to the vendor body, a total of 186 street vendors – including handicraft vendors, sugarcane juice vendors, fast food outlets, tea stalls, coconut vendors and churumuri and groundnut vendors – have been removed from the areas around the Mysuru Palace. Of these, about 25 to 30 vendors were in possession of identity cards issued by the authorities, while a few others had received approval from the Municipal Vending Committee but were yet to be issued with the cards.
The vendors’ body has assured the authorities that the vendors will adhere to all prescribed norms, maintain public property in the vending zones and abide by the conditions set by the Mysuru Palace Council, including paying the required fees.
Sharing grief
He said that the vendors’ body shares the grief of the family members and relatives of the blast victims, but the removal of all street vendors including those from around the palace has seriously affected the only source of livelihood of many vendors and their families.
Many street vendors have been doing business in the area for the past 30 to 35 years.
The last week of December is also the tourist season when street vendors try to make a living. A tragic explosion outside the gate of the Jayamarthanda Palace dashed their hopes.
Published – 28 Dec 2025 20:23 IST
