Malleswaram old market vendors get eviction notice

The nightmare has come to haunt Malleswaram old market vendors again. On Saturday, around 40–48 vendors, who had earlier filed cases in High Court against their eviction, were served notice from Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP).

According to the notice they have to move to temporary sheds being built by Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) adjacent to Malleswaram old market on Sampige Road.

“Three months back, the High court ordered the palike to build temporary sheds within 21 days and gave us week’s time to shift. We had appealed that we will vacate once temporary sheds is built. But, the BDA has built only a few sheds on a storm water drain (SWD). We are not ready to go there and will file a case again,” said a shop vendor Puttachannaiah.

Malleswaram Fruits & Vegetables Market Association Secretary G Chandrashekhar said there are totally 247 vendors and that the notice handed over to them on Saturday was dated August 28 but issued on August 31.

Meanwhile, RTI activist, B M Shivakumar alleged that the palike despite being given notice by Bangalore Metropolitan Task Force (BMTC), has not responded.

BMTF had asked the palike the reason behind the demolition of  renovated toilets, shops that had taken place in 2011. In 2010, the palike along with the BDA decided to upgrade the place and spent Rs 3 crore for renovating the place. Again in 2011, they demolished whatever, they renovated.”

A Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the BDA and BBMP for construction of shopping complex in 2012. A thorough inspection should be carried out about the issue, added Shivakumar.