Elphinstone bridge demolition hits food stalls, boosts cobblers and repair shops

The complete demolition of the iconic Elphinstone bridge has left an uneven trail of impact mdash not just on traffic but also on the livelihoods of those who thrived around it While food vendors and small eateries are reeling under losses cobblers and tyre repair shops are witnessing a surprising uptick in businessFood vendors feel the pinchldquoThe demolition has hit our business by nearly 20 per centrdquo said Shankar Shetty manager of Prarthana Hotel ldquoEarlier people from nearby offices and passersby would stop here for snacks lunch and dinner The hotel used to be packed during lunch hours Now with the road blocked and dust everywhere footfall has dropped sharply Our daily billing is down by 10ndash20 per cent already and once railway commuters are diverted itrsquoll only get worserdquoAshok Kumar Saket who repairs footwear near the bridgeSmall eateries juice centres and roadside stalls around the bridge have all reported similar losses Heavy machinery barricades and constant noise have made the area uninviting for customers Kamini Thakur who runs a vada pav stall said business nosedived the moment demolition picked up speed ldquoFirst the bridge was shut then they dug up the road Now no one wants to come here I used to make Rs 3000 a day mdash now I barely make Rs 1200 Only one nearby office still has a back entry open and those few customers are whatrsquos keeping me afloat But Irsquove lost my regulars Feels like I need a Plan B nowrdquo she saidShankar Shetty manager of Prarthana Hotel says customers have reducedMost vendors here operate informally without licenses or official permissions making them highly vulnerable during civic projects Relocation isnrsquot an option either since their earnings depend entirely on local foot traffic ldquoI run a sugarcane juice stallrdquo said another vendor ldquoWith all the dust from the demolition people just donrsquot want to stop here anymoreKamini Thakur whose vada pav stall has been suffering since the razing of Elphinstone bridge picked up speed PicAshish RajeHowever much I clean the dust comes back I would get at least 5070 customers daily which would fetch me a good Rs 1800 to Rs 2000 per day But now I barely see 20 to 30 customers and thus the income has gone down This way soon Ill be forced to move to a different location which again will lead to managing authorities and setting up costsrdquoSome gain from the chaosInterestingly a few others have seen their fortunes improve amid the dust and dbris Tyre repair shops andcobblers near the bridge report a steady rise in customers Mahesh Kumar who runs a small garage said ldquoIrsquom seeing more punctured tyres than ever before mdash almost every puncture lately has been caused by small sharp stones from the broken road I wouldnrsquot say business is booming but Irsquom definitely getting more walkinsrdquoCobblers are also seeing more business from pedestrians navigating the debrisfilled lanes ldquoThe bridge is still open for people on foot and the service road is rough and full of rubble Shoes and slippers tear easilyrdquo said Ashok Kumar Saket who has repaired footwear near the bridge for over a decade ldquoIrsquom earning at least Rs 100 more every day nowrdquo