The ongoing white-topping by the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) and drainage work undertaken by the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) have rendered the R.T. Nagar main road a muddy mess, causing inconvenience to residents, businesses, and commuters.
White-topping work started roughly six months ago, and is expected to be completed by September 30.
B.S. Prahlad, Chief Engineer, BBMP, said, “The main road, which is currently an asphalt road, is being converted into a white-top concrete road. This is taking time. White-topped roads can last for the next 30 years. Hence, the nearby water drain and the footpaths are being remodelled. Further, certain utilities that were in the middle are being shifted to the side. All of this work will take some time.”
Eateries, clothing shops, stationery shops, and hardware shops have reported a business decline of up to 50% due to the construction work.
“Our customers have decreased by 50% since the construction began. Since the roads are being dug up on both sides, there is very limited space available to park vehicles. The huge amount of dust pollution has made it very hard for us to attract clients,” said Faruq Ahmed, a cashier at a restaurant. He added that various eateries around the area have shut down as their business has taken a massive hit due to the construction.
Sabana Begum, a resident, said, “I have definitely reduced stopping by the restaurants around this area due to the dust and constant traffic”.
Syed Saleem, the owner of a small hardware store on the main road, said, “The number of customers has drastically reduced since a good portion of the road has been occupied by construction material. The dust, paired with the lack of parking space, is becoming increasingly burdensome.”
With the road dug up on both sides, mud piled up unevenly, and a web of unattended wires, the footpath has little space for pedestrians.
S. Ranvir, a student, said, “There is no space to stand while purchasing anything in the roadside stalls.”
The congestion on the road has been exacerbated by the ongoing work, especially with many BMTC buses frequently moving on the road. Traffic often comes to a standstill for a few minutes when two buses move on the road in opposite directions.
Sumaya, a resident who travels along the road every day to get to work, said, “It takes me an hour to make it from one end of the road to the other when it only took me 20 minutes earlier. Big vehicles make it tedious for people driving two-wheelers like myself. They make the roads extremely dusty and harder to navigate.”
M. N. Anucheth, Joint Commissioner (Traffic), Bengaluru, said, “Due to water-logging, BWSSB has also been building a strong water drainage system for the last month. Since the width of the road has decreased, the road has become congested, affecting movement of vehicles.”
