Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar defends footpath drive, says ‘big mafia’ behind encroachments
Bengaluru Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar is leading a city-wide footpath clearance drive to remove encroachments and improve pedestrian safety. While the government aims to reclaim public space, the initiative has faced criticism for displacing street vendors, whom the government plans to relocate to designated areas.
Why it matters
This highlights the ongoing tension between urban infrastructure development and the livelihoods of informal street vendors in rapidly growing Indian cities.
“Entire India and the world are looking at Bengaluru. We need to take care of our city,” Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar said on Friday, defending the government’s footpath clearance drive that has triggered criticism over the eviction of hundreds of street vendors.
The article presents the government's justification for the drive while acknowledging the criticism and the impact on street vendors.
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