Mysore/Mysuru: The countdown to the Swachh Survekshan Survey: 2025-2026 has begun and the Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) is making efforts to secure a top ranking this year.

However, the deplorable condition of the historic Lansdowne Building and its surrounding areas in the heart of the city threatens to undermine those efforts.

Neglected for nearly 14 years since a portion of the structure and its roof collapsed, the building has turned into a dumping ground. Prolonged debates over whether to renovate and preserve the heritage structure or demolish and rebuild it have only worsened its deterioration.

Windows and doors have disappeared, wooden panels have been stolen, bricks have crumbled and sections of the walls are collapsing. The once-grand structure now lies in ruins and, by evening, becomes a hub for anti-social activities.

The lanes behind the Lansdowne Building remain filthy and foul-smelling. Even in the run-up to the survey, the MCC has not taken any visible steps to clean the area.

Open urination spot

The heritage walls have become a spot for open urination. Despite repeated warnings from nearby traders, miscreants continue to defile the surroundings and even threaten those who question them, leaving the area engulfed in stench. Garbage heaps further add to the misery. Plastic bags filled with onion peels, vegetable waste and other refuse are dumped along the lane.

At night, trash is set on fire, leaving the walls of the Lansdowne Building charred black. Stray cattle and dogs rummage through the waste, scattering it across the area, while pests multiply, raising fears of infectious diseases.

Once a beautiful heritage landmark, the Lansdowne Building has, over the past decade and a half, become a symbol of neglect and abuse. Citizens have urged authorities to at least clean the rear lanes during the Swachh Survekshan Survey and take effective measures to prevent further deterioration.

Meanwhile, MCC, in collaboration with various organisations, is conducting cleanliness awareness programmes. Painting contests, elocution contests, essay-writing events, and cleanliness walks and runs are being organised to sensitise the public.

Authorities have also appealed to residents to unite and take responsibility for maintaining cleanliness in their respective localities.