Bengaluru Clears 233 Encroaching Shops Near Fort and KR Market After High Court Order

Officials stated that the permanent shops had been built using forged documents and had blocked pedestrian access in the vital corridor used by lakhs of people every day. The clearance drive was carried out in compliance with the High Court's directive to remove the encroachments from the area.

Around 233 shops encroaching on the footpath between the Historic Bengaluru Fort, Victoria Hospital and KR Market were cleared today by the BLR Central Corporation.

Many of these were permanent metal-fabricated structures erected using forged documents purportedly issued by the… pic.twitter.com/8OFj3EEWj3

— Krishna Byre Gowda (@krishnabgowda) August 5, 2026

Minister Krishna Byre Gowda described the operation as a victory for citizens, highlighting the restoration of public access to the footpaths. Officials also confirmed that no vending permits had been issued for the locations where the shops had been operating.

The demolition forms part of a broader campaign to reclaim 200 km of footpaths across the city. While the removal of the encroaching shops has created hardship for the affected vendors, the drive has restored public space and improved pedestrian safety in one of Bengaluru's most heavily used commercial and public corridors.