'New bus stops slash profits by 50 per cent'

Angry shopkeepers say new stainless steel stops conceal their shops and reduce footfalls

The business of some shopkeepers near the Mahakali Caves in Andheri has beenu00a0 hit hard. And for once, the economic downturn is not to blame.

They say that a stainless steel bus stop installed inu00a0 front of their shops keep customers from visiting their shops.

"The bus stop has been installed in such a way that my shops are totally concealed. Customers are not able to see our shop and hence business has dropped," said Zahid Khambatti, who owns Eastern Sanitary Works.

Several letters sent to BEST have not helped. "I have mailed my problems several times and requested them to at least remove the concealing back panels, which conceal us totally.

We had no problems when there was a pole bus stop at the same place," he added.

'Some adjustments'

Other shop owners too claim to have suffered since more than 2,800 steel bus stops have been installed across the city.

Anita Paes, who owns Venus Cake Shop, next to Khambatti's shop, said, "My business has gone down to 50 per cent since this bus stop has been installed in front of my shop.

I have even put up a neon signboard to attaract customers, but it's hardly visible. Our complaints to BEST have gone unheard."

BEST authorities told MiD DAY that they would try to solve this unique problem. "We will make some adjustments where possible, but there are places where we wont be able to do any thing.

We have sent our men for inspection who will suggest locations where there is a chance of adjusting the bus stops," said Pravin Chheda, chairman, BEST.