Mangaluru Street Vendors Protest Against Forced Relocation

Mangaluru: Street vendors in Mangaluru staged a protest on Saturday against the city corporation’s decision to relocate them to designated vending zones. Organised by the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), the protest saw leaders criticising Mangaluru City South MLA Vedavyas Kamath for allegedly attempting to weaken the unity of street vendors and push them into financial distress.

CITU district secretary Sunil Kumar Bajal accused the authorities of forcing vendors into vending zones that lacked proper infrastructure, calling the move “unscientific, unsafe, and inadequate.” He alleged that instead of supporting small traders, the administration was making their livelihoods more difficult.

B.K. Imtiyaz, honorary president of the street vendors’ association, pointed out that in other cities, vending zones were designed to accommodate different types of businesses. In contrast, Mangaluru’s model lacked proper planning. He also raised safety concerns, questioning who would be held responsible if a gas-related accident occurred due to food vendors operating within the zone.

Leaders from DYFI and CITU, including Santosh Bajal and Yogesh Jappinamogaru, also addressed the gathering, while several street vendor representatives participated in the demonstration.