Sir,

Yesterday, I visited the Lingambudhi Flower Show. The road starting from Ramakrishnanagar Church leading to the Flower Show Park is in a terrible state. It was dug up nearly eight months ago and has not been asphalted since. Now, it’s just a muddy stretch full of potholes, making the drive extremely unpleasant and dangerous.

Suyog Hospital is right on this road — and one can only imagine how difficult it must be for patients to reach it in emergencies.

Residents living around Saibaba Temple, Nimishamba Layout, and several nearby areas must have been enduring this dreadful drive every single day for the past several months.

Then comes the shocking part: The road worsens right at the entrance of the Flower Show. A badly damaged mud road greets visitors the moment they turn towards the venue.

Parking is another nightmare. Vehicles are parked so haphazardly that the first car owner has to wait for others to clear out because there’s no space to reverse.

Adding to the confusion, several people were busy issuing parking tickets — with no uniform, no logo, no identification. Whether it was even an official parking arrangement is anyone’s guess.

The entry ticket is priced at Rs. 60 per adult. While the ticket counter staff were quick, there were too few counters to handle the crowd, leading to unnecessary delays.

As we were halfway through enjoying the flower show, it began to rain. To our dismay, there were no shelters anywhere. The grassy areas turned into slush, making it extremely difficult and slippery to walk, especially for families with young children and elderly visitors. Many struggled to wade through the muck.

The road back to the parking area was even worse — dangerously slippery, sticky, and filled with slush.

A world-class Dasara, indeed!  It’s shameful how poorly the arrangements were made.

The flower show itself was beautiful, but everything else surrounding it was a complete disappointment. The organisers could have at least laid out carpets or temporary pathways to make it easier for people to walk in and out, especially considering the weather.

I saw many elderly people with walking sticks and even some in wheelchairs. Why doesn’t the Government consider their needs?

Instead of focusing solely on massive advertisements boasting about the “Dasara Utsava,” attention should be given to basic visitor facilities. A beautiful event was marred by sheer mismanagement.

And lastly, how is it that a road dug up months ago is still left untarred? Why aren’t hospitals, schools, churches and other institutions along this stretch raising their voice?

Unless people come together and demand accountability, nothing will ever change.

– Vinoda Ramachandra, Dattagalli, 27.9.2025

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