The Chief Minister's Office of Karnataka announced on Friday, 10 July 2026 that Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar addressed the media during a personal inspection of Bengaluru's Safe Footpath campaign, underscoring the state government's commitment to reclaiming pedestrian space across the city.

Context

Speaking at the inspection, CM Shivakumar stated that 'a cleaner, safer and more walkable Bengaluru is our commitment.' The campaign is being executed by the Greater Bengaluru Authority under the direct leadership of Minister for Greater Bengaluru Development Krishna Byre Gowda. According to the Chief Minister's statement, over 430 km of footpaths have already been cleared for pedestrian use, with the drive set to continue 'without fear or favour.'

The government noted that more than 900 pedestrian fatalities have been recorded in Bengaluru over the last three years, alongside sustained public demand for safer walkways. CM Shivakumar confirmed the campaign is being carried out in accordance with directions from the Hon'ble Supreme Court of India, which has previously issued binding orders on pedestrian safety and footpath encroachment removal in Indian cities.

Policy Backdrop

The Safe Footpath campaign sits within a broader legal and legislative framework. The Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act, 2014 mandates that states demarcate designated vending zones while simultaneously protecting pedestrian space — a balance the current drive explicitly attempts to strike. The government has stated that registered street vendors will be provided designated vending spaces and push carts, ensuring their livelihoods are not disrupted.

Bengaluru has seen multiple footpath redevelopment and encroachment-removal initiatives by civic bodies between 2015 and 2022, but chronic re-encroachment and inadequate vendor rehabilitation have repeatedly undermined progress. The creation of the Greater Bengaluru Authority as a unified statutory body reflects a wider trend in India toward streamlined metropolitan governance to address exactly these coordination failures.

Stakeholders and Impact

As of the announcement, 9,878 encroachments of various kinds have been removed, including thousands from shops. The campaign's next phase will include the removal of abandoned vehicles that have been encroaching on footpaths. Simultaneously, the government says footpaths are being actively repaired to make them safe and pedestrian-friendly, not merely cleared.

The drive directly affects three overlapping groups: pedestrians who rely on safe walkways, registered street vendors whose livelihoods depend on footpath access, and Bengaluru residents broadly who have long flagged road safety as a civic priority. The government's commitment to vendor rehabilitation through designated spaces is intended to prevent the social displacement that has undermined similar drives in other Indian metros.

What's Next

The government has signalled that the campaign will be expanded further, with abandoned-vehicle removal the next priority. Monitoring for renewed encroachment complaints and the rollout of functional, designated vending zones will be critical tests of whether the drive delivers lasting change. Any supplementary budget allocations or municipal by-law amendments in the coming fiscal period could determine the programme's long-term sustainability.

CM Shivakumar concluded his address by congratulating 'every citizen, representative, official and stakeholder supporting this drive,' framing the initiative as a collective civic effort toward building, in his words, 'a cleaner, safer and more walkable Namma Bengaluru' — 'Our Bengaluru.'