GBA Demolishes Cobbler Shops in Jayanagar Amid Vendor Plea for Time

BENGALURU — The Gandhi Bazaar Association (GBA) on Monday morning demolished around a dozen cobbler shops in Jayanagar 4th Block, leaving vendors scrambling to salvage their tools and materials. The vendors claimed they had sought a day's time to vacate, but the demolition went ahead without prior warning.

Demolition in the Early Hours

The shops, located near the Jayanagar 4th Block bus stand, were razed around 10 am. Vendors said they were given no notice before the GBA, a local residents' welfare body, moved in with labourers and equipment.

"We asked them to give us one day to remove our belongings. But they didn't listen. They just started breaking everything," said a cobbler, who did not wish to be named. He said his family depended on the shop for its livelihood.

Authorities Defend Action

GBA officials defended the demolition, stating the shops were built illegally on a civic amenity site. They said the vendors had been repeatedly asked to vacate the area over the past few months.

"This was not a sudden action. We had informed them multiple times. The land belongs to the public, and we cannot allow encroachments to continue," said a GBA representative. The association said it had also informed the local police and the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) about the planned demolition.

Vendors Left Without Work

After the demolition, around 15 cobblers were left without a place to work. Many said they had been operating from the same spot for years. Some had stored leather, tools, and unfinished shoes inside the shops.

"I have been working here for 10 years. My children go to school because of this shop. Now I have nothing," said another vendor. The cobblers said they had no prior written notice from the BBMP or the GBA. They accused the association of acting unilaterally.

Local residents had mixed reactions. Some supported the GBA's action, saying the shops were an eyesore and obstructed footpaths. Others expressed sympathy for the vendors, noting that they had lost their means of income without a proper relocation plan.

"The cobblers have been here for years. They should have been given an alternative space," said a resident who lives nearby.

What Happens Next

The cobblers plan to approach the BBMP and local elected representatives to seek alternative vending sites. The GBA has said it will not allow the shops to be rebuilt on the same spot. The issue underscores the ongoing tension between urban beautification efforts and the rights of street vendors in Bengaluru.