Mysuru: This image highlights the misuse of Mysuru’s cycle tracks. On the cycle track along Vishwamanava Double Road, a girl stands beside her bicycle near a parked Maruti van — a clear sign of systemic failure.

Built at a cost of lakhs of rupees to ensure cyclist safety and encourage bicycle use, these tracks are now being hijacked as illegal parking zones for cars, autos and vans. Despite vehicles occupying the track all day, the Traffic Police remain indifferent.

Parking on cycle tracks is not only against rules but also damages the barricades. In many commercial areas, barricades have been deliberately levelled for convenience. Misuse of public infrastructure by a few raises a crucial question — why are authorities turning a blind eye?