A representational photo of boys pushing a cart in K. R. Market in Bengaluru. The BBMP’s Social Welfare Department is examining five designs of the e-vehicles for various trades. While one vehicle accommodates a stove, gas cylinder, and a kitchen and is meant to sell food, another has a display area to sell clothes, shoes, and the like. Three more such custom designs are being finalised. 
| Photo Credit: K Murali Kumar

The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has set aside ₹40 crore to distribute e-vehicles custom designed for street vending at a subsidy of 90%. On January 4, the civic body called for applications for the same. 

The BBMP’s Social Welfare Department is now finalising five designs of the e-vehicles for various trades on the street. While one vehicle accommodates a stove, gas cylinder, and a kitchen and is meant to sell food, another has a display area to sell clothes, shoes, and the like. Three more such custom designs are being finalised. 

“The civic body will give a subsidy of 90% of the vehicle cost, or ₹1.5 lakh, whichever is higher, to street vendors. No vehicle will be given for free. Street vendors will have to pay at least 10% of the cost of the vehicle. The base price of the electric vehicle has been fixed at ₹1.45 lakh. The final price will be decided based on the tender. We will also distribute a smaller number of custom-made manual pushcarts with a base price of ₹20,000,” said Suralkar Vikas Kishor, Special Commissioner (Health and Social Welfare), BBMP. 

The civic body hasn’t decided on the number of e-vehicles to be distributed.

“We have set aside a total of ₹40 crore for the project. We will distribute as many customised EVs as possible in that fund. This is a new scheme from the Welfare Department, which already distributes wheelchairs and two-wheelers for disabled persons, and tailoring machines for women. The distribution of these customised EV pushcarts will henceforth be an annual programme,” a senior official said. 

Practical problems like charging infrastructure, place for parking

Street vendors’ unions have welcomed the scheme, but with caveats.

S. Babu, president, Karnataka Pragatipara Beedi Badi Vyaparigala Sangha, welcomed the scheme but added that the distribution of EV pushcarts should not be a reason for not identifying enough vending zones in Bengaluru. “There is a big lobby to remove street vendors from the streets. EV pushcarts should not be seen as an alternative to assigning vending zones, identifying street vendors, giving them ID cards, vending certificates and assigning them particular spots,” he said, adding there were other practical problems like charging infrastructure and place for parking.  

“The ongoing survey of street vendors hasn’t enrolled even half of the vendors in the city. They have deliberately imposed several restrictions, like a local ration card, to restrict the number of identified street vendors, which will obviously limit identified vending zones in the city. Now, EV push carts cannot be another reason for dwindling vending zones,” Lekha Adavi, an activist from the Sangha. 

The civic officials said that while those enrolled as street vendors in the survey by the civic body will get priority, it is not mandatory. A similar yardstick has been employed for PM SVANidhi Scheme, which provides small loans to street vendors.

“It is ironic that enrolment in the survey is not a prerequisite to access welfare benefits for street vendors, but only for assigning vending spots,” Ms. Adavi said, adding that presently civic officials harass many street vendors who sell food items on modified vehicles arguing that they come under the Motor Vehicle Act and do not have rights under The Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act, 2014. “Now, the BBMP is contradicting itself,” she said. 

Mr. Babu said that facilities street vendors need access to clean toilets, drinking water, weighing scale, and the like. “The civic body should have discussions with the street vending community before deciding what we need,” he said.