GBA transition leaves street vendors stranded as ID cards remain undelivered

Despite surveys and printed identity cards, nearly 1.5 lakh street vendors in Bengaluru face police action and uncertainty due to the shift from BBMP to the Greater Bengaluru Authority.

The transition from the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) to the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) has pushed street vendors across the city into a state of confusion and distress. Despite the completion of surveys and printing of identity cards, vendors allege that the cards are still not being issued, leaving them vulnerable to eviction and police action.

Street vendors say they are caught between authorities. While the GBA has not distributed the newly prepared ID cards, police officials are refusing to recognise older cards issued earlier, stating that they are no longer valid. As a result, vendors are not being allowed to set up their stalls, directly impacting their daily earnings and survival.

According to official estimates, Bengaluru has nearly 1.5 lakh street vendors. Many of them had undergone surveys, and their ID cards were printed under the BBMP system. However, the administrative shift to GBA has created a roadblock in issuing these cards. Since the cards carry the BBMP name, officials say changes are required before distribution.

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The complexity has increased as Bengaluru has now been divided into five municipal corporations. Authorities are required to identify which corporation each vendor falls under. In addition, ward boundaries have been redrawn, making older ward details invalid. These updated corporation names and ward numbers must be reprinted or corrected on the ID cards.

Officials are now considering two options, either reprinting all cards with the GBA name or pasting a GBA sticker over the existing BBMP print. However, no final decision has been taken, leading to delays and administrative confusion.

Meanwhile, vendors continue to suffer on the ground. With no valid ID cards and no clarity from the GBA, police action against roadside stalls has intensified. Vendors say they have repeatedly raised their concerns, but their grievances have not received any response from the Greater Bengaluru Authority.

As uncertainty continues, street vendors are demanding immediate clarity and action, warning that delays in issuing identity cards are pushing thousands of families into a livelihood crisis.