Bengaluru: A day after hundreds of street vendors staged a protest at Freedom Park, Bengaluru development minister Krishna Byre Gowda assured vendor associations that a provisional Town Vending Committee (TVC) would be constituted immediately to address their concerns and ensure compliance with the Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act, 2014.The assurance came during a joint meeting between the minister, GBA officials and representatives of street vendors’ organisations. Vendors had alleged that the ongoing footpath clearance drive was being carried out without following provisions of the Act and that many had been evicted without prior notice.According to the minister, the provisional TVC will subsequently identify vending zones and vending spots across the city and facilitate the issuance of identity cards to eligible vendors. “Our action is against encroachments on footpaths, not against street vendors. Our focus is on complying with Supreme Court directives to protect pedestrian pathways and make Bengaluru’s footpaths walkable. Vendors must vacate the main roads, but they can continue vending on interior roads. GBA will help facilitate vending in these areas,” Gowda said.Street vendors, however, maintained that they were only seeking proper implementation of the law. “We asked the govt to recognise us, issue identity cards and identify vending zones before removing vendors. The minister has agreed to these demands. We also requested vending spaces along wider footpaths on main roads, but that has not been accepted,” said Suresh N, state president of the Karunaadu Street Vendors Association.He added officials had assured vendors that seized goods would be returned and that compensation would be considered for losses caused by damage to carts and merchandise during the eviction drives.Sources said Gowda has also directed the legal wing to examine the provisions of the Act and submit a report by Thursday on the legal framework and future course of action.
