White-topping works on Bengaluru's JC Road to miss Oct 31 deadline? Here's what you need to know: Report

The white-topping work on JC Road, Bengaluru, is behind schedule, with the October 31 deadline fast approaching.

The October 31 deadline for completing the much-delayed white-topping work on JC Road, Bengaluru is just days away, but the crucial stretch remains a construction zone. What was once one of South Bengaluru’s busiest commercial roads is now a daily ordeal for commuters and traders alike, with dug-up patches, barricades, and bumper-to-bumper traffic defining its present state.

Commuters and traders in Bengaluru are facing severe disruptions, while officials seek another extension to complete white-topping works on JC Road. (PTI)

Officials from the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) are reportedly planning to seek yet another extension, blaming technical challenges for the slow progress, said a report by The Hindu. But traders, who have endured months of disruption, say excuses no longer matter, and that their livelihoods are at stake.

A resident who runs an automobile accessories store on JC Road said customers avoid the stretch completely as they can’t drive in, park, or even walk comfortably. Online shopping has taken over whatever little business was left, he said. Another trader added that the roadwork has erased months of their sales.

However, the impact spills far beyond JC Road, the report stated. With major portions blocked, traffic has diverted to SP Road, worsening congestion there. Hawkers and street vendors now occupy parts of the carriageway, while broken drains and uncollected garbage have turned the stretch hazardous.

Traders alleged that even basic desilting and drainage repairs have been left incomplete. Despite site visits by senior civic officials, little has changed on the ground.