Tension erupts on Vijayawada’s Besant Road as street vendors face eviction; CPI(M), CITU stage protest

Hawkers are staging a protest against the eviction initiated by city and town planning officials on Besant Road in Vijayawada on Tuesday. | Photo credit: KVS Giri

Tension reigned on Besant Road in Vijayawada on Tuesday (July 7, 2026) after town and city planning officials launched an eviction against street vendors, leading to protests by vendors and leaders of the Center of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) and the Communist Party of India (Marxist).

The hawakers staged a sit-in and later rallied from Raghavayya Park to Tummidi Brothers Junction, alleging that the authorities had removed the vendors even though many were in possession of old identity cards and proof of registration payments. They demanded that the eviction drive be halted until officials verified the documents.

Alleging that thousands of vendors have been making a living on Besant Road for decades, the protesters alleged that officials did not issue identity cards despite collecting registration fees. They demanded an inquiry into the alleged irregularities and immediate intervention of the state government to stop the evictions and ensure the livelihood of the street vendors.

CITU leaders have accused the Vijayawada Municipal Corporation and the Town Planning Department of violating the Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act, 2014 by evicting vendors without due process. They insisted that no vendor should be removed until surveys were completed, IDs issued and legal procedures followed.

Senior CPI(M) leader Ch. Babu Rao joined the protest and urged the Municipal Commissioner to resolve the issue by discussing with the vendors. He warned that the CPI(M) and CITU would intensify their agitation, including laying siege to the Municipal Corporation office, if the eviction continued.

Published – 7 Jul 2026 19:05 IST