Food vendors have taken over the Maruti Mandir bus stands in Bengaluru's Vijayanagar, leaving commuters with little space to wait for buses. Parked vehicles and encroached footpaths are also worsening traffic congestion in the area.
As evening sets in, the Maruti Mandir bus stands near Vijayanagar transform into bustling food hubs, leaving commuters struggling to find even enough space to stand and wait for their buses. Vendors have taken over portions of the bus stands and surrounding footpaths, while customers are parking their vehicles along the main road to grab a quick bite. The growing number of food stalls and parked vehicles is disrupting regular traffic and making the area increasingly difficult for pedestrians, motorists and BMTC buses to navigate.
The original food street near the Vijayanagar Water Tank is currently undergoing renovation work. With the usual vending space unavailable, several vendors have started setting up shops wherever they can find space. While some are operating around the Vijayanagar bus stand, others have turned the bus stand itself into a regular business hub.
Commuters Face The Heat
Earlier, only one or two mobile canteens would park on either side of the Maruti Mandir bus stands. However, the number of pushcart vendors has increased significantly in recent days, effectively turning the bus stops into makeshift food streets.
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The situation is causing considerable inconvenience to regular passengers, who are left with little or no space to stand while waiting for buses. Commuters also have to contend with the strong smell of cooking and smoke from the food stalls.
Massive Traffic Jams
Pushcart vendors are doing brisk business around the bus stands on both sides of the road, as well as near the TTMC and Garage bus stands. These areas remain crowded during the evening as customers gather around the stalls.
Many customers park their cars and two-wheelers along the main road while stopping to eat. This has resulted in traffic congestion in the area and added to the frustration of motorists. BMTC bus drivers are also finding it difficult to pull into and stop at designated bus bays because of the crowds and parked vehicles.
Footpaths Completely Taken Over
The Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) has spent lakhs of rupees on developing footpaths for pedestrians. However, vendors have occupied portions of these pavements to operate their food stalls, forcing pedestrians to walk on the busy roads.
With heavy traffic movement in the area, pedestrians are being exposed to additional safety risks. Residents say the authorities need to ensure that footpaths remain accessible and that vending activity does not obstruct pedestrian movement.
MLA's Residence Just A Stone's Throw Away
The Maruti Mandir bus stands are located just a short distance from the residence of former minister and current MLA M. Krishnappa. Residents and motorists say vendors have been openly parking their carts and conducting business around the bus stands and footpaths.
Local residents are now urging elected representatives and concerned officials to intervene and address the issue. They want the authorities to clear the encroachments from the footpaths, regulate vending activity and ensure that the bus stops remain accessible to commuters.
A local resident, Karthik, said the problem has become a regular occurrence during the evening.
“Mobile canteen vehicles are parked at the Maruti Mandir and surrounding bus stands every evening. Because of this, passengers have no proper space to stand at the bus stops. The concerned officials need to look into this and resolve the problem.”
Motorist Abhishek said customers parking their vehicles near the food stalls were also contributing to traffic congestion.
“Vendors are selling food items on pushcarts right next to the bus stands. Customers coming here are parking their vehicles on the main roads, which is causing heavy traffic jams around the bus stops. It is also creating a major problem for buses trying to stop.”
