Restaurateurs hail the Rodeo Drive of Bangalore

Restaurateurs hail the Rodeo Drive of Bangalore

Amrita Trikha and Nadia Henry. Bangalore



An year ago, if you had enquired anyone about the worst junction in Bangalore, he or she would have pointed to Vittal Mallya junction. The road was dotted with potholes. During monsoon, it used to get flooded. Traffic jams were common. And the stretch was lined with an almost non-existent pavement for pedestrians. These features did not compliment the upscale stores and restaurants located around it.
But Bangloreans can now heave a sigh a relief thanks to a private initiative by UB and Prestige groups. In an effort to mend and beautify the road, they partnered and coaxed the BBMP into letting them start the work on a private venture. Months of construction work has finally resulted in a model road with cobbled sidewalks and benches for the comfort of pedestrians.
Owners of stores and restaurants on this stretch seem to be delighted by this development in their neighbourhood. Seema Malhotra of Shimmer says, "A few years after we started business here, the road turned into a mess. We've been suffering ever since. A lot of our customers did not want to thread their way through this mess to visit our store. Business suffered. Now, the new-look road is the Rodeo Drive of Bangalore.
The state government should see how beautiful Bangalore can become by allowing more such road projects."
Will the retail and real estate prices surge due to this development? Varuni Mohan, a luxury brand consultant, does not think so. "This road has attracted people all along because of its central location and accessibility. People are still dealing with the recession and despite the immense beautification drive here, I do not think prices are likely to soar," she says.
But one thing is sure: the road will ensure smooth flow of traffic.
Arjun Sajnani of Sunny's Restaurant is overjoyed by the development. "We've had great trouble when this road was messy. It was dirty and smelly and inconvenient. I'm grateful to the private groups and the BBMP for making this improvement. When the roads are even and there is no water logging, traffic will flow smoothly," he says.
"The UB and Prestige groups have done a commendable job. We hope the government will get the message and let more private companies take on road works like this," he says.