Denpasar Traders Report Falling Sales During Gajah Mada Roadwork

Denpasar — Traders near Jalan Gajah Mada said a road-improvement project has sharply reduced visitors and sales, according to a report published on Oct. 22, 2026. The work had been under way for about two months, with congestion and difficult parking discouraging customers.

Joan, an employee at a baby-supplies store, said the shop was receiving only two to three visitors a day and sometimes no buyers at all. The store’s revenue had fallen by about 99 percent, the report said. Customers who once came regularly, including wholesale buyers, were also visiting less often because parking was difficult and loading goods had become harder.

Masril, who manages a carpet store in the area, described a similar decline in visitors and income. Dust from the work was entering shops, forcing his store to close part of its doors and cover merchandise. He urged that the project be accelerated so trading activity could return to normal.

Why the Gajah Mada project matters to Denpasar traders

The roadwork is part of a broader arrangement of the Gajah Mada heritage area in central Denpasar. A separate report said the project had caused traffic congestion and that the Denpasar Transportation Agency had deployed personnel to manage vehicles while asking the public to be patient. The agency said traffic was expected to improve after the arrangement was completed.

The project also affects practical access to one of the city’s established commercial corridors. For shopkeepers, the immediate consequences described in the reports are fewer customer visits, limited parking, dust and difficulty moving purchases from stores to vehicles. For visitors, the changes mean that reaching shops along Jalan Gajah Mada can take longer and may be less convenient during construction.

A report from NusaBali said the city’s central-area arrangement was targeted for completion by mid-December 2026. It identified work including the installation of natural stone or cobblestone, improvements to shopfront appearances and the arrangement of landmarks at intersections. On Jalan Gajah Mada, paving was being replaced with natural stone because the existing material had been used for about 14 years.

Sources

• detikBali — regional news report
• NusaBali — regional news report
• domabali.com