Despite the attack, pedestrians welcome the clearance of the Shivajinagar trail

The Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) officials, supported by a large contingent of police personnel, resumed cleaning the pavements around the Shivajinagar BMTC bus stand after a brief disruption following the attack on GBA officials by miscreants in Bengaluru on Tuesday. | Photo Credit: K. MURALI KUMAR

Even as a group of miscreants launched an attack on the officials, the Bengaluru City Central Corporation carried out the clean-up and emphasized that it was committed to improving the pedestrian infrastructure in the city.

A senior official of the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) told The Hindu that 15 officials and staff from the tractor and wing were at the site when the incident took place. Five officials, including two women, were injured.

However, the ride continued and about 10 shops encroaching on the trail were cleared. The official emphasized that traders were informed well in advance that the intrusions would be removed.

The official alleged that the owners of shops approved by the civic body were paying some individuals ₹250 to ₹500 every day depending on the size of the shop. However, action against such individuals is yet to be discussed at a higher level, the official said.

Clear furniture

Pedestrians have welcomed the clearance drive in the area, pointing out that it is becoming increasingly difficult to walk through the stretch near the Shivajinagar bus stand.

Moksha Srinivas, who commutes daily from MG Road metro station to Shivajinagar, said many metro commuters from northern parts of the city use footpaths to reach Shivajinagar.

“Along Central Street Road, the entire footpath is occupied by furniture shops, making it impossible to walk. The GBA should clear them first,” she said, adding that the authorities should also ensure that the shops do not encroach on the footpath again after they finish arriving.

Asgar, owner of a furniture shop near the Shivajinagar bus stand, said the officials had instructed them to remove items kept outside their shops during the drive and that they would also be cleaned.

Kiran, another pedestrian, said the traffic police should crack down on illegal parking in Shivajinagar. “Random parking is a major problem in the area due to heavy footing which often leads to road rage. I am also a victim of this,” he said.

Central City Corporation Commissioner G. Jagadeesha, responding to concerns about vendors returning or traders encroaching again after the operation, said the authorities would continue to monitor the cleared sections.

No association with street vendors

The Street Vendors Joint Action Committee condemned the attack on the officials and said it was a deliberate attempt by some people to link him with street vendors.

“The attack has nothing to do with the street vendor movement. The construction of permanent structures on footpaths is illegal. Those who do so are not street vendors,” the committee said.

The committee’s statement also highlighted that those involved in today’s attack, along with others of their ilk, have been illegally setting up permanent structures at various locations for several years and collecting rent from them.

“The growth of such groups has been enabled by the support or tacit complicity of some local police and corrupt civic body officials. The real problem is this network of miscreants, not the poor street vendors who work hard to earn a living,” the statement said.

Published – 21 Jul 2026 22:34 IST