No Police action still, even as Mysore Palace Board writes seven letters to City Police Chief to clear footpath encroachment

Mysore/Mysuru: Mysore Palace, the world famous tourist attraction, is grappling with the menace of footpath vendors, who have occupied substantial portion of the footpath in the front, with the authorities concerned lacking in vigour to evict them.

A portion of the footpath stretching from Varaha Gate, main entrance to the Palace, towards B. Rachaiah Circle near Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) is encroached upon by the vendors of gimcrack items, to attract tourists. But, the same tourists who love to explore the heritage city by foot, have to face severe inconvenience with footpath vendors showing no sign of making space for them.

Unlike main roads, the road on the either side of the Palace, especially towards MCC is narrow, and is a two- lane stretch. Hence, free access to footpath for pedestrians assumes significance, with various types of vehicles like two-wheelers, four-wheelers, heavy motor vehicles (HMVs) among others moving on the road. But what’s missing is the much needed gumption among the law enforcement authorities, for the ease of pedestrian movement on the dedicated space — footpath.

Some of the unruly vendors, also turn the heritage-design grills, painted green of the Palace compound wall, to hang the articles of types to attract tourists. It not just comes in the way of visual beauty of the former royal abode, but also poses significant threat to the stability of the grills. Bricks are arranged beneath to keep the articles for sale.

Apart from Palace, the other tourist attractions in the surroundings include K.R. Circle, where the marble statue of erstwhile Maharaja of Mysore Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar, located amid wide circle, followed by Sayyaji Rao Road, Gandhi Square and Silver Jubilee Clock Tower (Doddagadiyara) in front of Rangacharlu Memorial Town Hall, which evoke sufficient tourist interest. But, unabated footpath encroachment is coming in the way of free movement of tourists, who prefer to capture the beauty of the city, in their cameras.

Similar is the complaint received from various other parts of the city like Bannimantap, Gokulam, N.R. Mohalla, Agrahara and other commercial areas, but the lackadaisical attitude of the Police in addressing the rampant menace, has come under scrutiny.

Deputy Director of Mysore Palace Board T.S. Subramanya said, so far, we have written seven letters to the City Police Commissioner, to take action to evict footpath encroachers, but there is no action yet on the part of the Police.

“Following a decision taken at the meeting chaired by Deputy Commissioner, also the Executive Officer of Mysore Palace Board, it was written to the City Police Chief to clear footpath encroachments. The letters have been also written to ACP (Palace) and Inspector of Devaraja Traffic Police Station, orally explaining in detail about the travails faced due to footpath encroachment by vendors. But, nothing has fructified,” said Subramanya.