Declare 1,500 km of arterial and sub-arterial roads as no-sale zones: Krishna Byre Gowda

The Karnataka Progressive Street Vendors Association claims that despite no official order from the government, officials of the Greater Bengaluru Authority are threatening to evict street vendors based on a statement by Bengal’s urban development minister. | Photo Credit: Photo File

Greater Bengaluru Development Minister Krishna Byre Gowda has directed civic officials to declare at least 1,500 km of arterial and sub-arterial roads in the city as no-sale zones before launching the Safe Trail campaign from July 1.

“Bengaluru’s road network is about 15,000 km long. Of this, at least 1,500 km of major and minor roads must be declared as no-vending zones. On the remaining roads, street vendors can ply their wares without causing public inconvenience,” he said at the Safeotpath campaign preparation meeting he chaired.

He directed officials to follow a recent Supreme Court order — which said walking on a safe path is a right of people — and the Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act, 2014. “Make a list of roads to drive on, create awareness among shops and vendors in those areas, serve notices to them and then intervene to clear them,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Karnataka Progressive Street Vendors Association alleged that despite no official order from the government, Greater Bengaluru Authority officials are threatening to evict street vendors based on the Bengaluru Urban Development Minister’s statement.

“We welcome the concerns expressed by Mr. Gowda regarding the safety and proper use of city footpaths. Clean, wide, safe and usable footpaths are definitely necessary. But we actually want wider footpaths which will be useful for pedestrians and us. But even before any official order is issued, the authorities are threatening to evict us,” they said on Monday.

“We are authorized users of public space as contemplated by the Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act, 2014,” they said.

Published – 29 Jun 2026 22:25 IST