Bengaluru, March 21, 2026 — In a significant move to reclaim footpaths and improve pedestrian safety in India's tech hub, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar announced on Friday that the state government will introduce a new policy banning street vendors from operating on main and sub-main (arterial and sub-arterial) roads across Bengaluru.
Speaking to the media after a meeting at Vidhana Soudha on budget preparations for Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) corporations and an executive committee discussion, Shivakumar, who also holds the Bengaluru Development portfolio, emphasized that encroachments by vendors have made it difficult for citizens to use footpaths freely.
"Citizens are struggling to walk on footpaths due to encroachment by street vendors," Shivakumar said. "We have decided to introduce a new policy for footpaths. Designated spots will be fixed for vendors to clear the footpaths for pedestrians. Vendors should do their business only at designated spots; we will remove them if they occupy other places."
Under the proposed policy, street vending will be prohibited on key arterial and sub-arterial roads to ensure unobstructed pedestrian movement and reduce traffic congestion caused by such encroachments. Specific roads will be identified and designated exclusively for vending activities, with unanimous support from legislators across parties, including Leader of Opposition R Ashok (BJP), who participated in the discussions.
The initiative is part of a broader effort to regulate urban spaces, including actions against illegal flex banners (with fines ranging from Rs 50,000 to Rs 1 lakh) and the towing of abandoned or illegally parked vehicles left on roads overnight.
Shivakumar noted that only registered vendors will be permitted in the allocated zones. Of the approximately 60,000 registered street vendors in the city, around 30,000 have applied for vending carts, for which tenders have already been floated. Unregistered or non-compliant vendors face strict enforcement, including seizure of goods and eviction from prohibited areas.
The announcement aligns with ongoing efforts to enhance "Brand Bengaluru" by addressing civic discipline, pedestrian accessibility, and overall urban aesthetics. Previous statements by Shivakumar on regulating vending have sparked protests from vendor groups in the past, though the current policy focuses on relocation rather than outright elimination of street vending.
The government is expected to finalize and notify the detailed policy, including the list of designated vending zones and enforcement mechanisms, in the coming weeks. Civic bodies like the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) will play a key role in implementation.
This policy comes amid continued focus on Bengaluru's infrastructure challenges, including traffic management and public space utilization, as the city strives to balance livelihoods of street vendors with the needs of millions of pedestrians and commuters.
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