The Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) on 1 July 2025 launched the 'Safe Footpath Campaign', a phased anti-encroachment drive targeting pedestrian pathways across Bengaluru, with Bengaluru Development Minister Krishna Byre Gowda warning that nearly 300 pedestrians are killed in road accidents every year because encroached footpaths force them onto motorised traffic lanes. The campaign began with an enforcement drive near Ashoka Pillar, where GBA personnel removed shops, signboards, and other structures blocking pedestrian access.

Scale and Scope of the Drive

The current phase covers approximately 2,000 kilometres of footpaths — less than 20 per cent of Bengaluru's total 15,000-kilometre footpath network, according to Minister Gowda. Clearance operations are focused on roads with heavy pedestrian movement, with encroachments identified at 16 locations across four Assembly constituencies under the GBA Central Zone.

Specific stretches under the drive include Trinity Junction to M.G. Road and M.G. Park, the 100 Feet Road from Indiranagar to Domlur Flyover, Vivekananda Metro Station to Benniganahalli Railway Bridge, Ashoka Pillar to Madhavan Park, 8th Main Road and 9th Main Road in Jayanagar, and R.V. Road from Teachers' College to South End Circle. In the GBA North Zone, operations have commenced on Vidyaranyapura Main Road, Thanisandra Railway Parallel Road, Clark Road in Pulakeshinagar, and Banaswadi Main Road in Sarvagnanagar.

What the Government Said

Minister Krishna Byre Gowda framed the campaign as both a legal obligation and a moral one, stating it is being carried out in line with Supreme Court directions and repeated demands from city residents. 'People in Bengaluru are facing immense inconvenience because footpaths have been encroached upon. Every year, around 300 pedestrians die in accidents because they are unable to walk on footpaths and are forced onto the roads, where they are hit by vehicles. It is the moral responsibility of the government and every citizen to prevent these deaths,' he said.

He also appealed to shop owners and commercial establishments to voluntarily vacate encroachments. 'Footpaths belong to the people. Conducting business on footpaths is against the law. Similarly, parking cars and two-wheelers on footpaths or using them for commercial purposes is illegal,' Gowda added, clarifying that the drive targets public space reclamation, not businesses per se.

Assembly Constituency Breakdown

Under the GBA Central Zone, clearance is underway at six locations in Shivajinagar, four in Gandhinagar, four in Chickpet, and two in Chamarajpet. Officials said the campaign will be rolled out in phases citywide with the objective of improving road safety and ensuring unobstructed pedestrian movement.

Pushback from Vendors

The drive has triggered strong protests from footpath vendors, who have demanded that enforcement be uniform across the city rather than concentrated in select zones. This tension between public safety mandates and the livelihoods of informal traders is a recurring fault line in urban governance across Indian metros. Notably, this is not the first time Bengaluru authorities have attempted to clear footpath encroachments — previous drives have often stalled under political and commercial pressure.

What Comes Next

The GBA has indicated the campaign will expand in phases to cover a larger share of the city's footpath network. Whether enforcement holds beyond the initial phase — and whether it withstands the vendor protests — will determine if the 'Safe Footpath Campaign' marks a durable shift in how Bengaluru manages its public pedestrian infrastructure.