<p>The legality of food trucks has once again come into question after a recent post on microblogging platform, X (see box). </p>.<p>Food truck owners say they have approached the BBMP and the government to legalise and regulate the trade, but there have been no developments on that front. On the other hand, resident welfare associations (RWAs) state that such businesses, while pocket friendly and beneficial for those who cannot afford costlier meals, are a menace in more ways than one. </p>.<p>Harsha Reddy’s food truck, Levant, was initially located on 12th main in Indiranagar. The Turkish and Arabic food it serves became a major draw in the area. “The truck attracted a huge crowd on the first two days and we received a lot of complaints from residents. Then we moved to 100ft road for two weeks, but again, the residents were unhappy,” Reddy shares, adding that talking to the cops and BBMP officials helps. </p>.<p>They are now located on a bylane off 12th main. “We still get complaints, especially about the charcoal smoke. Other hawkers are also unhappy with us because they believe we are putting a dent in their profits,” he adds. On weekends, they move their business to Bangalore Club on Residency Road. </p>.<p>Varun Michael Sequeira is the president of the Bangalore Food Truck Association (BFTA). He also runs a food truck business — Michael’s Icecream Burger Cafe — in Bhartiya City, Thanisandra. He opened his truck in 2012, and the Association was set up in 2013. “There were around 48 food trucks registered with us at one point. Now we are down to 10,” he says. </p>.<p>There are no official licences or permits to run them, he explains. But they can function on private property. So the BFTA businesses, like Papichulo, an Italian joint, Raghavendra Cafe (south Indian) and Barbecue Bike, have been forced to keep their operations private. </p>.<p><strong>Rodents and overcrowding</strong></p>.<p>Raghu Rajagopal, president of the Koramangala 4th block, RWA, points out that often, the food truck owners dump their garbage in the drains near the spot where they sell their food. This results in stench and attracts rodents. “In Koramangala, the stretch outside Laxmi Devi Park in 6th block has a number of trucks. The waste thrown in the drain has resulted in rats infesting the park,” he says. </p>.<p>Often they cook their food inside the truck. This is a safety hazard and technically, they are only allowed to sell cooked food, notes Sneha Nandihal of iChange Indiranagar.</p>.<p>Kochu Shankar, of the Ramamurthy Nagar RWA, has seen them taking up permanent spots. “They are meant to be mobile, but it gradually becomes a permanent setup. They never move from there. Sometimes they even start living there,” he shares. </p>.<p>RWAs want dedicated zones for food trucks, so that they can run their businesses without affecting pedestrians, residents and traffic. “Earlier, there were hawker zones, but they were removed long ago,” recalls Sequeira. </p>.<p><strong>What happened?</strong></p>.<p>A Bengaluru-based X user, @JsivaUrbantranz, posted his reservations about how such trucks function. “Food trucks are great — offering diverse cuisines at reasonable prices. But where do they belong? On the #footpath? On the road shoulders? Or in designated spaces? (sic),” he tweeted. The post also brought up topics such as encroachment, government regulation and pedestrian rights.</p>.<p><strong>BBMP says…</strong></p>.<p>While the BBMP conducts regular hygiene checks, they are yet to introduce proper permits and licences specifically for food trucks. They come under the category of street vendors as of now, says Suralkar Vikas Kishore, BBMP Special Commissioner (Health). “We did a survey and found that there are 22,000-odd street vendors. We will be taking action against vendors who are not registered with us,” he tells Metrolife. He reveals that the BBMP will soon regulate the businesses and sort out four major issues — hygiene, waste management, timings and location.</p>
<p>The legality of food trucks has once again come into question after a recent post on microblogging platform, X (see box). </p>.<p>Food truck owners say they have approached the BBMP and the government to legalise and regulate the trade, but there have been no developments on that front. On the other hand, resident welfare associations (RWAs) state that such businesses, while pocket friendly and beneficial for those who cannot afford costlier meals, are a menace in more ways than one. </p>.<p>Harsha Reddy’s food truck, Levant, was initially located on 12th main in Indiranagar. The Turkish and Arabic food it serves became a major draw in the area. “The truck attracted a huge crowd on the first two days and we received a lot of complaints from residents. Then we moved to 100ft road for two weeks, but again, the residents were unhappy,” Reddy shares, adding that talking to the cops and BBMP officials helps. </p>.<p>They are now located on a bylane off 12th main. “We still get complaints, especially about the charcoal smoke. Other hawkers are also unhappy with us because they believe we are putting a dent in their profits,” he adds. On weekends, they move their business to Bangalore Club on Residency Road. </p>.<p>Varun Michael Sequeira is the president of the Bangalore Food Truck Association (BFTA). He also runs a food truck business — Michael’s Icecream Burger Cafe — in Bhartiya City, Thanisandra. He opened his truck in 2012, and the Association was set up in 2013. “There were around 48 food trucks registered with us at one point. Now we are down to 10,” he says. </p>.<p>There are no official licences or permits to run them, he explains. But they can function on private property. So the BFTA businesses, like Papichulo, an Italian joint, Raghavendra Cafe (south Indian) and Barbecue Bike, have been forced to keep their operations private. </p>.<p><strong>Rodents and overcrowding</strong></p>.<p>Raghu Rajagopal, president of the Koramangala 4th block, RWA, points out that often, the food truck owners dump their garbage in the drains near the spot where they sell their food. This results in stench and attracts rodents. “In Koramangala, the stretch outside Laxmi Devi Park in 6th block has a number of trucks. The waste thrown in the drain has resulted in rats infesting the park,” he says. </p>.<p>Often they cook their food inside the truck. This is a safety hazard and technically, they are only allowed to sell cooked food, notes Sneha Nandihal of iChange Indiranagar.</p>.<p>Kochu Shankar, of the Ramamurthy Nagar RWA, has seen them taking up permanent spots. “They are meant to be mobile, but it gradually becomes a permanent setup. They never move from there. Sometimes they even start living there,” he shares. </p>.<p>RWAs want dedicated zones for food trucks, so that they can run their businesses without affecting pedestrians, residents and traffic. “Earlier, there were hawker zones, but they were removed long ago,” recalls Sequeira. </p>.<p><strong>What happened?</strong></p>.<p>A Bengaluru-based X user, @JsivaUrbantranz, posted his reservations about how such trucks function. “Food trucks are great — offering diverse cuisines at reasonable prices. But where do they belong? On the #footpath? On the road shoulders? Or in designated spaces? (sic),” he tweeted. The post also brought up topics such as encroachment, government regulation and pedestrian rights.</p>.<p><strong>BBMP says…</strong></p>.<p>While the BBMP conducts regular hygiene checks, they are yet to introduce proper permits and licences specifically for food trucks. They come under the category of street vendors as of now, says Suralkar Vikas Kishore, BBMP Special Commissioner (Health). “We did a survey and found that there are 22,000-odd street vendors. We will be taking action against vendors who are not registered with us,” he tells Metrolife. He reveals that the BBMP will soon regulate the businesses and sort out four major issues — hygiene, waste management, timings and location.</p>