Rs. 800 crore being spent on making city free of pothole-riddled roads, back-breaking rides

Mysore/Mysuru: The Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) is rolling out a bonanza of road works ahead of the Assembly elections. Most of the city roads have been taken up for resurfacing and repairs at an estimated cost of Rs. 800 crore.

With polls slated for early May, even Corporators and MLAs are keen to carry out ‘bhoomi pujas’ or inaugurations of road work in their Constituencies.

Every year, the MCC spends crores on road works but the quality of roads has not improved as expected. Many roads are riddled with potholes soon after rains and most of these road works were taken up in a hurry before Dasara or after the annual spectacle. These roads increase the probability of accidents during monsoons on water-logged roads. Along with the road works, the MCC is at present taking up stormwater drain projects, box drain projects, playground, park development initiatives and burial ground development along with the Public Works Department (PWD) and the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA).

Officers told Star of Mysore that grants have come for the Chamaraja, Krishnaraja and Chamundeshwari Constituencies under the State Finance Commission (SFC) and the grant release process had commenced due to the efforts of MLAs L. Nagendra, S.A. Ramdas and G.T. Devegowda.

Together, Ramdas and Nagendra have brought Rs. 170 crore under Mahatma Gandhi Nagara Vikasa Yojana (Nagarothana) and the development works worth Rs. 83 crore has been taken up out of the total grants. This apart, the MCC has released Rs. 450 crore as a one-time development grant.

The Public Works Department has released Rs. 100 crore for the road development works on the roads that come under its limits within Mysuru city and outskirts. As this is a coordinated effort, all the roads of the city are expected to sport a new look by the end of March.

In addition, former Mayor Sunanda Palanetra had used her good offices to procure a special grant of Rs. 25 crore that has been distributed to all the MCC Wards and here too, the works are in full swing. In all, Rs. 800 crore is being spent on the roads ahead of the elections.