A stretch of Mother Teresa Road connecting KSRTC Sub-Urban Bus Stand riddled with potholes, craters

Mysore/Mysuru: Next time Chief Minister Siddaramaiah visits the city, he should drive over a stretch of Mother Teresa Road (part of Bengaluru-Nilgiri Road) leading to the KSRTC Suburban Bus Station to gain first-hand experience of the bumpy and potholed conditions that severely inconvenience vehicle riders, urge the public.

Epicentre of the problem is particularly from Wesley Church Junction to Malabar Gold, near the Heritage Arch Gate, where the road surface has worn out and developed potholes, craters, highlighting the lack of maintenance by Mysuru City Corporation (MCC). Imagine, if an expectant mother travels on this road, she is likely to deliver in public due to the road’s pathetic condition.

Both inter-district and inter-State buses use this road because of the nearby bus station, operating round the clock. Buses carrying passengers to places outside the district, such as Bengaluru, Belagavi, Kalaburagi and Belagavi, as well as other States like Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Pondicherry and Maharashtra, travel this route.

The high volume of passengers exacerbates the inconvenience, but it seems no one cares. Previously known as B.N. Road, it connects to the Nilgiris in Ooty, Tamil Nadu.

Unlike other main roads, this stretch is quite narrow and the addition of a road divider has worsened the situation for vehicle users. With potholes dotting the surface, any minor negligence by vehicle riders can lead to accidents, as they cannot avoid accidents. This caution applies to all vehicles, including cars and buses. As a result, minor accidents have become common, say roadside vendors.

The substandard underground drainage (UGD) work is blamed for the mess, as the road gradually caves-in due to the movement of heavy motor vehicles (HMVs) like buses. Besides vehicle riders, pedestrians who use this road are always vulnerable to accidents.

The only solution is to ensure quality work when constructing the UGD network, manholes, footpaths and road asphalting. However, with MCC’s reputation for poor-quality work, such inconveniences are bound to occur, according to the public.