Deadline nears, but J.C. Road white-topping work in Bengaluru far from over

Even as the deadline for completing J.C. Road’s white-topping project — October 31 — approaches, the crucial stretch remains far from finished. Large portions continue to be dug up, traffic crawls at a snail’s pace, and frustrated traders say their businesses are on the brink. Officials, meanwhile, are expected to seek yet another extension, citing technical hurdles. 

Long stretches of the road were dug up several months ago, and traders allege that the dug-up portions are still not properly closed or barricaded. The uneven surface and open ditches have made commuting difficult and have caused daily traffic snarls. “We lose up to an hour every day just to get through this one-kilometre stretch,” said a regular commuter on J.C. Road. 

For hundreds of small automobile spare parts dealers and car accessory shops lining the road, business has been hit. “People don’t want to come here any more because they are required to navigate bad roads, park their vehicles elsewhere and make it to the shop. They can’t bring their cars in for fitting. Online sales have taken away what little business we were left with. People now buy spare parts online and get it fixed at their nearby garage,” said Rahul Goyal, a trader. 

While the Union Government’s recent GST reduction on automobiles has been welcomed, those dealing in accessories and spare parts in the area say it means little if customers cannot reach them. “For us, this roadwork has wiped out months of sales,” Mohammed Zakhir, another automobile trader, added.  

Ripple effect

The ripple effects are being felt beyond J.C. Road as well. With the main stretch blocked, vehicles have spilled over onto S.P. Road, worsening the congestion there. Hawkers and street vendors occupy large portions of the carriageway, and residents and traders say the road’s poor condition and the constant dumping of waste make it dangerous for motorists. “There are small accidents every day, bikes skid because of garbage spillovers and water from broken drains,” Mahadevi Pujari, a worker in the area said. 

Traders also argue that even the desilting work by the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) was left incomplete, leaving open drains exposed. “A man fell into one recently. We’ve been warning them for months. Meanwhile, sewage has been leaking on S.P. Road for over nine months. Despite repeated complaints, civic bodies are yet to act,” Arun Jain from the Electronics Association said.  

The same stretch was recently visited by GBA Chief Commissioner M. Maheshwar Rao as well as Central Corporation Commissioner Rajendra Cholan, but residents lament that the situation has been the same. 

Business on road

Recently, several traders had also begun carrying out garage and vehicle-fixing work near the J.C. Road main carriageway and signal in an attempt to retain customers. However, traffic police officials told The Hindu that such activities were worsening congestion on one of the city’s key connecting roads.

“This is a main road which connects various parts of the city and hence congestion here results in congestion further in the southern and eastern parts of Bengaluru. We have also held discussions with the GBA to expedite the pending works,” a traffic police official said.