Channapatna, a taluk headquarters in Ramanagara district, which is the Land of world famous toys and handicrafts, with its rich cultural history of century is known for its wooden handicrafts and skilled artisans.
But all this could be behind the curtain as the work on the ambitious 10 lane Bengaluru-Mysuru express way is on its full swing. Even though the expressway is not fully operational it has already taken away the livelihoods of thousands of people. The corridor has nine major bridges, 44 minor bridges and four railway over bridges. If the road once started, the 117 km highway, that is from NICE road entrance in Bengaluru to Ring Road junction in Mysuru is expected to shorten travel time from three hours to one and half hours.
A survey of business along the route reveals a grim picture.For instance, a biggest toy shop in Channapatna now faces an uncertain future. The staff strength reduced from 15 to two. Hand made wooden toys worth crores together are unsold. This is not the story of one shop, but many such toy stores in and around Channapatna, which is on old Bengaluru and Mysuru road.
Even the famous Idli restaurants of Bidadi in Ramanagara, Maddur eateries are facing the threat of bypass road. An employee said, the government should make alternative arrangements as they had nowhere to go. Another artisan said, that the expressway had killed their livelihood.
