For pedestrians fighting for pavements under the ‘Footpath Beku’ campaign, it’s not just lack of infrastructure that is proving to be a hurdle. Protecting whatever little infrastructure is available is turning out to be a daunting task, with more and more walkways being encroached upon by eateries. They not only occupy space meant for pedestrians, but also raise concerns of hygiene and safety.
Abhijit Kamal Bhuyan, who frequently visits Koramangala and Indiranagar on work, said walking on footpaths in Koramangala 5th Block and Indiranagar 12th Main is next to impossible.
“These places have footpaths, but there is really no space to walk on them. In Koramangala, you not only have pushcart food vendors selling from the walkways, but also hotels that have extended their business onto the footpath. Tables and chairs are set up on the walkway and cooking is done on it. It is not only unhygienic, but dangerous as well,” he said.
In Madiwala, near the underpass, a restaurant has expanded its business onto the footpath while pedestrians walk on the busy road, putting their life at risk and also restricting the pace of the traffic, he added.
Many residential-cum-commercial areas are facing this problem, including Jayanagar, Malleswaram, Rajajinagar, and Bellandur, which are turning into street food hubs.
Magadi Main Road, for instance, has many fast food joints, which while popular with customers, restrict pedestrian movement.
“You have many people congregating near the food joints, which don’t have seating arrangements. People buy food and eat on the pavement while pedestrians are denied a safe walkway,” said Sujatha Raj, who stays in the area.
C.N. Kumar, a resident of Jayanagar and member of First Block Organisation of Residents for Clean Environment (FORCE), said that despite the presence of an Indira Canteen near the Ashoka Pillar, around five to six eateries operate on footpaths in the vicinity.
“These footpath food vendors continue to get a lot of customers. The primary reason is that the roads here are broad and offer enough space for two-wheeler riders and autorickshaw drivers to park their vehicles and grab a bite. Though footpaths are also wide, people, especially women, find it uncomfortable to walk when so many men are crowding around the eateries,” he said.
Mr. Bhuyan, along with his friends, is planning to take the matter up in court. “Some people asked me to complain on BBMP’s Sahaaya app. But, I don’t think complaining will help. Vendors should be regulated and the footpaths made more accessible to people,” he said.
‘Street vendors and pedestrians should co-exist’
Civic officials say the street vendor survey will help them monitor this unregulated sector. The first survey was undertaken a couple of months ago, but vendors are yet to be issued ID cards.
“Only about 30,000 vendors have submitted applications to get ID cards, which will protect them from being evicted by the police and the civic body,” said Lekha, member of Bengaluru Jilla Beedhi Vyapaari Sanghatengala Okkuta (Federation of Street Vendor Unions).
However, the process of distribution of the cards is yet to begin. The BBMP has to first collect all the applications and digitize them before issuing cards.
“This is only the first step. The government is yet to finalise the rules under the Street Vendors’ Act to give licences to vendors and set up Town Vending Committee,” she added.
Stating that vendors must be allowed to coexist with pedestrians, Ms. Lekha said, “Street vendors always keep in mind the safety of pedestrians, who are their customers. They should not be considered a nuisance.”
A BBMP official said that they are covering the street vendors ward-wise. “We have received around 30,000 applications and will soon start the process of giving ID cards to them,” the official said.
