Street vendors in Bengaluru are up in arms against the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), threatening to launch protests over the civic body's failure to distribute identity cards promised over a year ago. The vendors, organized under the Karnataka Pragathipara Beedi Vyaparigala Sangha, have raised serious concerns about continued harassment and illegal fines due to this administrative delay.
Unfulfilled Promises and Mounting Harassment
During a press conference held on Wednesday, December 18, 2024, the vendors' union presented a litany of grievances. Their primary complaint centers on the non-disbursal of identity cards, despite a comprehensive survey conducted by the BBMP last year under the Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act, 2014.
The vendors alleged that the ID cards have already been printed and, as per the rules, should have been issued to them within three months of the survey's completion. Advocate and union office-bearer Vinay Sreenivasa highlighted the practical consequences of this delay. He stated that without the new identification, police in several areas harass vendors, demanding to see cards they have never received.
Multiple Grievances Beyond ID Cards
The union's concerns extend beyond the ID card issue. They have flagged multiple systemic problems affecting their livelihood. A significant point of contention is the alleged harassment by police following the recent reorganisation of the BBMP into five separate municipal corporations. The vendors claim this administrative shift has created confusion and increased targeting.
Other specific issues raised include:
- Non-dumping of silt from drains on roadsides, particularly in Vijayanagar, where silt was reportedly left for months and cleared only after media intervention.
- The levying of "illegal" fines on vendors at prominent locations like Jayanagar and Church Street.
- The recent eviction of several vendors from the Munireddypalya market on Tuesday, despite existing court protection orders against eviction in some zones.
Demands and Call for Action
Frustrated by the lack of action, the vendors' union has presented a set of demands to the state authorities and warned of impending protests if they are ignored. A key demand is the formation of fresh Town Vending Committees (TVCs) in each of Bengaluru's new municipal zones. These committees are legally mandated to implement the Street Vendors Act, but the previous elected committee's term expired in 2020, and no new bodies have been constituted since.
The union has also urged the government to conduct orientation workshops for officers in the new municipal zones to educate them about the provisions of the Street Vendors Act. Furthermore, they have called for budgetary allocations to set up shelters in street vendor markets to protect hawkers from harsh weather and for ensuring free access to public toilets for women vendors.
Finally, emphasizing the need for a proper grievance mechanism, the union has demanded the constitution of a grievance redressal committee as stipulated under Section 20 of the Street Vendors Act. The vendors argue that such a committee is essential for the timely resolution of their ongoing issues with civic authorities and law enforcement.
