Mysuru: A spatial planning assessment conducted by students of the Mysore School of Architecture (MSA) has concluded that while pedestrian safety, traffic management and the orderly use of public spaces are essential, the long-term solution to street vending challenges lies not in blanket evictions but in scientific planning and the organised integration of vendors.The 8th semester BArch students of the institute, under the guidance of the institute’s director and dean Dr HS Champa and associate professor Sandeep Subbakrishna, undertook the urban design study to analyse street food vending patterns across Mysuru. The study formed part of a broader research initiative on Efficient Urban Mobility, within which street vending was examined as an important contributor to the city’s public realm and neighbourhood economy.“The study was carried out during Feb and March 2026,” Dr Champa told TOI. “The research covered locations where 5 or more food carts were operating. The project was initiated with the understanding that street food vendors are an integral part of city’s informal economy,” she said.As part of the project, students conducted a citywide audit of street food vendors. Every identified vendor was documented using app-based GPS tagging and geofencing software. The exercise also analysed surrounding land-use patterns, pedestrian movement, traffic conditions, public spaces and urban activities across individual wards.The study found that street vendors should not be viewed merely as encroachers or a public nuisance. Instead, they contribute significantly to the informal economy, activate public spaces, enhance neighbourhood vitality and often function as “eyes on the street”, contributing to passive surveillance and urban safety. The challenge, the report noted, is not their presence but the lack of organised planning and supporting infrastructure.Rather than advocating removal, the study explored ways to integrate street vending into Mysuru’s urban framework as part of a larger strategy to improve urban mobility. Selected wards were examined in greater detail using the Mysuru Master Plan-2031 and provisions of the Street Vendors Act to identify suitable locations where vendors could be relocated and organised without disrupting pedestrian movement, traffic flow or neighbourhood activities.The study noted that such interventions support the concept of the 15-minute neighbourhood, enabling residents to access everyday services within walking distance, reducing unnecessary vehicular trips and strengthening local communities.According to the findings, while the number of street vendors has increased considerably in recent years, particularly in the post-Covid period, the growth can be effectively managed through planned vending zones, better infrastructure and clear planning guidelines.The report also recommended a review of existing planning policies and development control regulations to better address the changing socio-economic realities of contemporary cities.Among its key recommendations, the study proposed dedicated vending zones equipped with pedestrian access, waste management systems, seating, lighting, sanitation facilities, organised parking and efficient circulation networks. Such infrastructure, it said, would enhance public convenience while improving the working conditions, safety and dignity of vendors.
