<p>Traders on Avenue Road are upbeat about good business this festival season after Bengaluru Smart City Limited (BenSCL) officials said they are certain about completing the civic work soon.</p>.<p>While traders had been grappling with the pandemic’s impact on their business for two years, BenSCL’s roadwork that progressed at a snail’s pace further aggravated things.</p>.<p>“We hoped business would return to the pre-pandemic level after normal life in the city resumed,” said Ramesh K, a bookshop owner on Avenue Road.</p>.<p>“The ongoing work left footpaths in a mess and people were hesitating to return. But we are hoping to do normal business this Dasara and Deepavali since most of the works are nearing completion.”</p>.<p>Trade activist Sajjan Raj Mehta said work has been delayed for a long time and hoped BenSCL officials will keep their word at least this time.</p>.<p>“Both traders and the government will lose revenue owing to the loss of business. Though a majority of work has been completed, BenSCL has gone on slowly with the work,” he said. BenSCL officials are hopeful that they will wrap up the work in a week.</p>.<p>“Rain and heavy footfall delayed the work. Now, we have completed all the major works, including laying the road, pipelines, and footpaths. We have to set up a few individual water connections,” said Rajendra Cholan, MD, BenSCL.</p>.<p>BenSCL missed multiple deadlines to complete the work, the latest one being<br />May 31.</p>
<p>Traders on Avenue Road are upbeat about good business this festival season after Bengaluru Smart City Limited (BenSCL) officials said they are certain about completing the civic work soon.</p>.<p>While traders had been grappling with the pandemic’s impact on their business for two years, BenSCL’s roadwork that progressed at a snail’s pace further aggravated things.</p>.<p>“We hoped business would return to the pre-pandemic level after normal life in the city resumed,” said Ramesh K, a bookshop owner on Avenue Road.</p>.<p>“The ongoing work left footpaths in a mess and people were hesitating to return. But we are hoping to do normal business this Dasara and Deepavali since most of the works are nearing completion.”</p>.<p>Trade activist Sajjan Raj Mehta said work has been delayed for a long time and hoped BenSCL officials will keep their word at least this time.</p>.<p>“Both traders and the government will lose revenue owing to the loss of business. Though a majority of work has been completed, BenSCL has gone on slowly with the work,” he said. BenSCL officials are hopeful that they will wrap up the work in a week.</p>.<p>“Rain and heavy footfall delayed the work. Now, we have completed all the major works, including laying the road, pipelines, and footpaths. We have to set up a few individual water connections,” said Rajendra Cholan, MD, BenSCL.</p>.<p>BenSCL missed multiple deadlines to complete the work, the latest one being<br />May 31.</p>