Sir,

Mysuru is a beautiful city. Life here is not frenetic like in other major cities and metros. Even traffic moves at a sedate pace here. Large open spaces, wide roads, and with its green cover this indeed is a fine city to live in.

However, there are several issues here that stand out like sore thumbs. Take footpaths, for instance. There are wide footpaths in most of the roads. Alas, they are hardly usable, forcing pedestrians to walk on roads, endangering life and limbs.

Almost all the footpaths are overgrown with weeds and grass, uneven and dotted with pits and mounds, or littered with rubble and garbage. It’s surprising that such expansive footpaths are left in this deplorable condition that render them unusable.

It’s high time the Mayor, the City Corporation or the MUDA woke up to this awful condition of the sidewalks. These broad sidewalks are an asset in any city, but sadly, in Mysuru, they are grossly wasted and rendered unusable.

Once cleared of all the weeds, rubble and garbage they can be paved. An added feature could be a narrow stretch of manicured grass or a line of well-tended shrubs on the flanks.

This is just a simple but very essential step to further beautify the city. By any reckoning, pedestrians of the city deserve this simple amenity.

– Akber Ayub, Engineer, Mysuru, 20.2.2021

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