Thanks to rains and civic work in markets, Deepavali shopping in Bengaluru proves to be a damp squib

White-topping work has been going on for a few months on B.V.K. Iyengar Road and A.S. Char Street. Traders say that this causes major traffic congestion and has led to a loss of revenue. A couple days ago, a video clip from Chickpet that went viral showed huge amounts of garbage piled up on roads as waste collection was affected owing to rains.  

Rain is playing spoilsport for festive shopping ahead of Deepavali in the traditional shopping hubs of Bengaluru. With flooded roads and traffic congestion, many shoppers have not made it to the markets yet, and business has taken a hit. 

“The rains have spoilt everything. Our daily business has taken a hit. We are experiencing losses up to 80%,” said Suhail Yusuf, secretary of the Brigade Shops and Establishments’ Association.

The same is the case in the market area around Chickpet where ongoing civic work has proven to be an obstacle for business.

“Owing to heavy rains and continuous forecast of more rain, there is no festive business atmosphere this time. The Deepavali shopping tempo has not built up yet. The civic infrastructure issues, which we have been facing, only adds to our misery,” said Sajjan Raj Mehta, a trader and trade activist in Chickpet. 

White-topping work has been going on for a few months on B.V.K. Iyengar Road and A.S. Char Street. Traders say that this causes major traffic congestion and has led to a loss of revenue. A couple days ago, a video clip from Chickpet that went viral showed huge amounts of garbage piled up on roads as waste collection was affected owing to rains.  

“The waste problem has been solved now, but we continue to face the issue of hawkers who eat into our business and cause inconvenience to shoppers,” Mr. Mehta said. 

Similar problems were reported in Gandhi Bazaar in south Bengaluru, where the traders say that the widening of footpaths has resulted in hawkers taking over a majority of the business.