BENGALURU: With the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike’s 100-day deadline to complete its white-topping work at Chickpet long past, Bengaluru’s busiest wholesale market remains in a shambles.
What began as a white-topping project in May has now stretched far beyond the expected timeline, leaving traders grappling with mounting losses. Now as Dussehra approaches, businesses are seeing their earnings take a beating, with both sellers and customers unable to even navigate the dug-up streets.
Located in Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao’s Gandhinagar constituency, Chickpet is home to a wide range of businesses, from clothing stores to electronics outlets and small eateries. Foot traffic has plummeted, with traders along BVK Iyengar Road and Mamulpet till Chickpet Metro station reporting a 30-40% drop in revenue.
While a BBMP engineer attributed the delay in completion of the work to intermittent rainfall, traders said it was due to poor coordination between civic agencies, which has left businesses in a lurch.
Shankar, a trader, said many shopkeepers in the area have resorted to paying additional charges to coolies to transport goods, as delivery trucks cannot reach their shops due to the ongoing construction.
Many shop owners mentioned that those who rely on quick stock turnover are facing delays, causing shortages of popular items and further reducing customer visits. “The losses are beyond measure,” they said.
Another trader, Prakash, said regular customers have started purchasing goods from other areas. “It is not just about convenience. In a few months, people can easily shift their business elsewhere, and it will be hard to get them back.”
An eatery owner highlighted the impact the delays have had on day-to-day operations. “We used to have a steady flow of customers from the nearby Metro station, especially during the evenings, but now, it is barely trickling. Instead of people stopping by for a quick snack, the area is mostly blocked with traffic.”
Trade activist Sajjan Raj Mehta called for better accountability from authorities, suggesting that visible boards with contact information and project timelines should be installed. “Those responsible for delays should face penalties,” he said, adding that the traders are growing increasingly concerned that the prolonged disruption will have lasting effects on their businesses as customers and suppliers alike are forced to look for alternatives.
Mehta said, “We understand that development work takes time, but no one is giving us clear answers about when this will finally end.”