Street vendors up in arms over DKS’s declaration that only registered street vendors can hawk

Bengaluru street vendors demand fair registration process and more TVC involvement to continue their trade effectively.

The street vendors in Bengaluru are up in arms after Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar on Saturday said that only the 27,665 vendors who have officially registered as footpath vendors can conduct their business in designated areas.

The Minister said that four types of vending vehicles, including electric ones, have been designed, and tenders have been floated to distribute them to the 3,755 vendors who have requested push carts. “They should come to the designated spots, vend and go,” he said.

However, multiple street vendors’ association members argue that 27,665 is a very small number when compared to ground reality. “So many vendors have not been counted in the survey conducted by the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP). We have only identified that at least 60 – 70 vendors in the South zone and 150 – 200 in the East zone have not been recognised in the survey. More than one lakh vendors have applied for loans under the PM Swanidhi Scheme. Then how can the BBMP’s numbers be so few?” asked S. Babu, president of Bengaluru Urban District Street Vendors’ Federation.

The vendors demand that the BBMP should not stop its survey and continue registering the new ones. “Be it hawkers who come and sell their stuff in the early morning hours or those who do it after 6 p.m., many of them have been missed in the survey. Now, what should the families of over one lakh people do if they do not let them vend?” Mr. Babu further asked.

The vendors also said that while the intentions of the government may be right, technically these decisions should be taken by the Town Vending Committees (TVC) and not the government itself.

“The DCM might have been misinformed about these things. They say that we should only vend in designated zones, but what if customers don’t turn up in those zones? If Mr. Shivakumar wants to help us, then he can with the help of TVCs,” said Suresh, president, Karunadu Beedi Badi Vyaparigala Sangatanegala Okkuta. 

He also said that the vendors are not actually in need of vehicles, as it comes with its own challenges. “How many vendors can drive these vehicles, and how many of them have licenses? Young vendors can maybe push the carts, but what about senior citizens, those who are physically challenged, or ailing from diseases? The government wants to give us electric vehicles, but if the batteries do not work well after a few years, then vendors cannot afford new batteries.”