• Mounting civic problems raise questions ahead of MCC expansion
• Potholed roads, garbage dumps expose gaps in city management

Mysore/Mysuru: Even as the Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) prepares to expand its limits and transform into a Greater Mysuru City Corporation, serious questions are being raised about its ability to manage the city’s mounting civic issues.

Modern Mysuru, envisioned by erstwhile Maharaja Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar with well-planned infrastructure suited to his era, appears to have gradually lost its charm amid what many see as administrative inefficiency and neglect.

Potholes in the heart of the city continue to endanger commuters. A massive pothole in front of the KSRTC Sub-Urban Bus Stand, on an already congested stretch, stands as a glaring example of official apathy.

Unused Hawker Zones

The dedicated Hawker Zones developed to rehabilitate footpath vendors near Ashoka Circle (Ballal Circle) on New Kantharaj Urs Road remain largely unused.

The facility, equipped with shelters & earmarked bays, was built under Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Urban Livelihood Mission (DAY-NULM) Scheme at an estimated cost of Rs. 69 lakh.

On the opposite side too, another Hawker Zone, among the first of its kind in the city and constructed nearly a decade ago without shelters, remains vacant as vendors continue to occupy footpaths instead of relocating.

Meanwhile, not all of the 43 newly-installed traffic signals function throughout the day. The signals themselves had drawn criticism from the public, with many terming them “unscientific” and blaming them for worsening congestion instead of easing traffic movement.

Footpath encroachment

Rampant footpath encroachments across the city have forced pedestrians onto busy roads, often leading to fatal and non-fatal accidents. The situation is particularly alarming on Sayyaji Rao Road between K.R. Circle and the Devaraja Market junction, where makeshift stalls have virtually taken over the footpaths.

Adding to the civic mess is the growing garbage menace, with road corners increasingly turning into dumping points despite the relentless efforts of Pourakarmikas to keep the city clean.

The disputed Mayura Complex site at Vedanta Hemmige Circle, adjacent to SDM Women’s College at the junction of JLB Road and New Kantharaj Urs Road, is a telling example.

Missing bollards

In several parts of the city, retro-reflective bollards (orange fibre spring posts) have been installed to separate cycle lanes from the main carriageway.

However, the lanes are largely misused by two-wheelers, defeating the very purpose of the initiative. Near Ramakrishna Paramahamsa Circle in Ramakrishnanagar, some of the bollards are already missing. Other persistent civic concerns include stray cattle and dogs, which not only disrupt smooth traffic flow but also pose a threat to elderly pedestrians. Incomplete Storm Water Drain works on Dewan’s Road further expose the poor state of civic management. Trenches dug for the drains have accumulated waste and during rains, overflowing water spills onto the roads, causing inconvenience to residents.

With civic problems mounting across Mysuru, residents now hope the MCC will address at least the most pressing issues as a priority before stepping into its expanded role as Greater MCC.