The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has started work on the ambitious Palike Bazaar in Vijayanagar, modelled on the lines of New Delhi’s Palika Bazaar, but street vendors in the neighbourhood are unhappy with what they call an ‘ill-conceived project’. Many resent the fact that they were evicted from their vending spots by the civic body, allegedly without notice. The underground, hi-tech and air-conditioned market will house the evicted vendors.
BBMP officials told The Hindu that the project, estimated to cost ₹18 crore, was envisaged around two years ago. Construction of the first phase, which will have 42 shops, has been taken up at a cost of ₹5 crore.
“We have already identified 30 street vendors who will be rehabilitated in the new market,” an official stated and claimed that the work on the project was taken up only recently due to a delay in the shifting of utilities, such as drinking water, sewerage lines and power lines.
However, street vendors — mostly fruit and vegetable sellers — are unhappy. “The money that is being spent on the project could have been instead used to establish vending zones and on the welfare of street vendors. Many trees were cut to accommodate the market. We sent several memoranda to the BBMP against the project,” said Vinay Sreenivasa from the Bengaluru Jilla Beedi Vyapari Sanghatanegala Okkoota.
S. Babu from the Okkoota, who was evicted from his vending spot, claimed that the civic body had not consulted street vendors about the project. Pointing out that Delhi’s Palika Bazaar only housed shops selling electronics and hosiery items, he said, “We are against this ill-conceived project. Who will come to an underground market to buy fruits and vegetables? The BBMP officials should go visit the Palika Bazaar in New Delhi... fruits and vegetable vendors conduct their business outside.”
He added that he had sought the detailed project report under RTI. “We filed another RTI query seeking the list of beneficiaries to be rehabilitated in the new underground market. Apart from the vendors who were evicted, the BBMP seems to have identified three or four autorickshaw drivers as street vendors. We have informed the local officials about the discrepancy and urged them to rectify the list,” he added.
Mayor R. Sampath Raj told The Hindu that the civic body’s new market would be modern and would have facilities for both vendors and citizens. “The project was conceived to make the area, which is congested and sees a lot of vehicular movement, a hawker-free zone,” he said.
