Street vendors in K.R. Circle are protesting against the Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC), accusing it of forcefully seizing land that they claim has supported their livelihoods for more than thirty years.

According to the vendors, the site in question, located near the central library and previously under the public works department, was handed over to MCC in 2015. Since then, the corporation has reportedly allowed them to use the area, including issuing ID cards and assigning vending spots.

However, tensions have escalated recently, with vendors alleging that MCC is now attempting to evict them to make way for a proposed Indira Canteen. They argue that they were neither consulted nor given proper notice. “This land is our only source of survival. We’ve been here for decades,” said one vendor.

The vendors also claim that the corporation’s actions violate the Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act, 2014, which mandates proper survey and Town Vending Committee approval before evictions.

Opposition leader in the city council, Sudhir Shetty Kannur, echoed the vendors’ sentiments, condemning the MCC’s move as unjust. He accused the administration of breaking rules and ignoring the interests of the working class.

The protest continues, as vendors demand transparency and adherence to legal procedures. They fear displacement will strip them of their only income and disrupt a long-established informal economy.