Karnataka Allocates ₹70 Crore For Bengaluru Footpaths Amid Street Vendor Protests

Following a Supreme Court ruling last month declaring walking a fundamental right, Karnataka Bengaluru Development Minister Krishna Byre Gowda has allocated ₹70 crore to repair 2,000 km of footpaths in Bengaluru. The massive infrastructure push, which coincides with local clean-up efforts in North Bengaluru, has triggered citywide protests from displaced street vendors.

The government's funding decision comes after the Supreme Court of India officially declared that walking on footpaths is a fundamental right. In response, Minister Gowda unlocked the ₹70 crore budget to address the city's broken tiles, construction debris, and garbage-strewn pavements.

The initiative, known as the "Safe Footpath" campaign, has drawn mixed reactions. While pedestrian advocates have welcomed the funding, local street vendors who were displaced during the clearance of the footpaths have launched citywide protests.

Among those campaigning for the improvements is Arun Pai, the 57-year-old founder of Bangalore Walks and the city's self-appointed "footpath mayor." Pai has partnered with the local government for two years to improve walkability. He recently rated city footpaths on a scale of 1 to 5 after running 100 km across them, presenting his findings to city officials.

Pai's civic work is managed through the India Rising Trust, an organisation he formalised after volunteering with the civic movement "The Ugly Indian," which began in 2009. The trust now employs around 25 people, mostly blue-collar workers, to fill gaps in government capacity. Recently, the trust partnered with authorities in North Bengaluru to clean up 100 chronic garbage "black spots."

While the government's ₹70 crore allocation marks a significant financial commitment to pedestrian infrastructure, the ongoing protests by street vendors highlight the tension between pedestrian safety and the livelihoods of informal outdoor workers on Bengaluru's streets.