Kundapur Municipality’s Eviction of Street Vendors Sparks Public Outrage
Kundapur: The Kundapur Municipality’s recent crackdown on street vendors has sparked widespread public outrage. Citizens condemn the action as blatantly unfair, arguing that it targets the livelihoods of poor traders without providing viable alternatives.
These small-time vendors, who earn their living by selling food and goods from handcarts or small vehicles along the roadside, braving sun, rain, and wind, were eking out a living through honest work. However, in a sudden and aggressive operation, municipal officials have forcibly evicted them without offering any alternative location, leaving their families in distress.
What was once a scene of hardworking, self-reliant individuals along the busy streets of Kundapur has now turned into a story of tears and despair. Local residents allege that the municipality’s actions have gone beyond reason, describing them as a clear example of administrative arrogance.
There had been no public complaints against these vendors, who mostly belong to poor and middle-class families. Yet, over the past week, the Kundapur Municipal administration has been conducting day-and-night operations to remove roadside traders, leading to an outpouring of anger on social media platforms.
“We took loans to buy vehicles and started mobile food stalls to support our families. We never caused inconvenience to anyone and ran our businesses for just a few hours in the evening. Now, the municipality has stopped us from doing business for trivial reasons, pushing our families into crisis,” lamented a group of street vendors.
Kundapur, a rapidly developing town, faces chronic parking congestion, a persistent issue in municipal discussions. Authorities justified the eviction of vendors by citing this problem, but their failure to offer alternative sites intensifies public anger and underscores the municipality’s disregard for the vendors’ livelihoods.
While other cities across Karnataka have relocated street vendors to designated areas, residents allege that the Kundapur Municipality has instead driven them off the streets without any rehabilitation, leaving their families stranded.
Many of these small vendors had previously run small eateries in big cities like Bengaluru, Mumbai, and Hyderabad, but returned to their hometowns after suffering heavy losses during the COVID-19 pandemic. By running evening food stalls in Kundapur, they were not only supporting their families but also contributing to the local economy.
Municipal officials acknowledged that parking difficulties were the reason for the action. “There is a shortage of space in the town to provide an alternative area for vendors. The matter will be discussed in the next council meeting,” said Kundapur MLA Kiran Kumar Kodgi, responding to public criticism.
Ironically, many commercial complexes in Kundapur have extended their goods and displays onto the streets, blocking parking areas. Despite this, the municipality has taken no action against them. Meanwhile, it has cited “cleanliness and parking inconvenience” as reasons to impose strict restrictions on 11 roadside vendors, effectively banning their trade.
Locals have criticized this selective enforcement, demanding that authorities adopt a more humane and fair approach toward small traders who are merely trying to earn their daily bread.
