Year-long white-topping cripples BTM businesses

Bengaluru

For nearly a year, white-topping work has been under way on BTM Layout Stage 2, 29th Main Road. This stretch connects Bannerghatta Road to the 100-Feet Ring Road near Silk Board. As a result of the project, much hardship has been endured by residents, business owners and commuters alike.

“It has affected us a lot. As you can see, there is nobody in the shop. There used to be more people before the work started. We have seen revenues come down drastically,” said Shravan, manager at Ramdev Medical Pharmacy. Every business owner along the stretch has been hit. A few have even shut shop and left. “There is nobody along this road who has not been adversely affected while the work has been going on. Some shops have also closed down and moved out,” said Raju, who was running a vehicle sticker shop.

This mixed-use stretch has a distinctly commercial character and houses all kinds of establishments. There are several pubs such as the popular Stories Brewery and The Watering Hole, two schools – Ekya and Orchids – and multiple furniture, vehicle servicing, washing and hardware shops as well.

Parents of children studying at Orchids School are now mostly dropping their kids off at the back gate due to the poor condition of the road. “I have had a loss of ?1.5 lakh in just the last month. I have to pay my workers, rent and bills — all this we need to manage. Everyone has been affected, many have left their stores. We can’t do anything about it,” said Mushtaq, owner of a car service centre.

Ayaz, a furniture shop manager, echoed the same sentiment. “Our business has completely gone down,” he said. Just behind the businesses are several residential buildings whose occupants use the main road daily. For months, they have been unable to do so and are now fed up with the construction. “It’s been a nightmare,” said Manika, a resident. “It’s been going on for about 11 months. To get out, we need to take the smaller back roads. When it rains, you can’t even walk here because it’s so muddy and dangerous.”

The contract for the work was awarded to JMC Constructions, owned by Dr Aranii Srenevasulu, MLA from the Tirupati constituency in Andhra Pradesh, and comes under the SPV B-SMILE. As of now, not all sections of the road have been topped with concrete, while drainage, electrical, buffer zone and footpath works remain incomplete.

Both businesses and residents hoped the work would be completed soon, ending their woes and bringing some relief. “Business has gone down a lot, but we are hoping the work finishes quickly as there are many benefits of white-topped roads, as per my understanding,” said Shekhar, manager of The Watering Hole pub.