Shopkeepers who continue to suffer business losses after the opening of the Bengaluru-Mysuru Expressway see no hope of recovery in the near future, and lament that no political party is interested in attending to their grievances.
Sanjay Gowda, owner of Sri Cauvery Arts and Crafts Emporium in Channapatna, says the expressway came as a big blow to their business when they were recovering from the impact of the pandemic.
“Prior to the opening of the expressway, on an average 150 customers used to visit our shop but it has dropped to 10 to 15 now. Shopkeepers are struggling to pay the rent and many have closed their shops. We have been selling Channapatna toys and other crafts for 60 years, and I have never seen this kind of business losses before.”
