Closure of the Shiradi ghat stretch of National Highway 75 has affected many fruit vendors, hoteliers and businessmen along the Bangaluru-Mangaluru road. As a result, a majority of them are thinking of closing the business till the road opens again for vehicles to ply. Some of them, however, are left with no chance to keep their establishments open despite a huge dip in their earnings.
Rajesh, who has a tea-shop at Donigal, near Sakleshpur, used to earn up to Rs. 5,500 a day when the Shiradi ghat stretch was open. “Now, I do not earn even Rs. 500 a day. It has become difficult to pay the daily rent of Rs. 300 to the shop-owner,” said Mr. Rajesh.
His shop is very close to Manjrabad, a tourist spot. He has been running the tea-shop for the last 14 years. “Many vehicles used to stop here and the travellers used to have tea and snacks after visiting Manjarabad. Now, except those going to Hettur and other areas, no vehicle comes this side,” he said.
All ordinary buses and light vehicles have been diverted to Charmadi ghat. Every day, vehicles are stranded in the ghat section.
“The officials can think of opening at least half of the road so that passengers can reach their destination without any difficulty,” he said. Many fruit vendors have set up stalls along the National Highway 75. Pervez, a fruit vendor, said “Till last week, my daily earnings was touching Rs. 5,000. Now, it has come down by almost 80 per cent.”
Following the closure of Shiradi ghat stretch, Mangaluru-bound vehicles have been diverted from Hassan. While heavy vehicles have to take the Mysuru-Madikeri route, light vehicles are diverted to the Belur-Charmadi ghat stretch. “We can have good business only when the highway is busy. Earlier, 30 people were working in the restaurant. Now, it has been reduced to five,” said Rafeek, in charge of Ossoor restaurant, near Sakleshpur. The menu has been curtailed and the quantity of food items reduced, considering the dip in business.
“We are planning to close the eatery till the road is re-opened,” Mr. Rafeek said.
Businessmen along the B.M. Road in Sakleshpur are facing a similar situation. They want the road work completed at the earliest vehicles start plying on it as usual so that their business transactions return to normality.
