650 mts stretch of Irwin Road works unlikely to be completed by December; Project began 23 months ago

Mysore/Mysuru: With the widening works on the remaining portion of Irwin Road from Nehru Circle to Government Ayurveda Hospital Circle going on at a snail’s pace, it is doubtful if the works would be completed by December end this year as scheduled.

Though asphalting the road from Ayurveda Hospital Circle to half of the stretch is almost complete, only about 50 percent of works from Nehru Circle is done and remaining works are delayed due to some technical issues.

In order to expedite road widening, the works on 650 mts stretch from Nehru Circle to Government Ayurveda Hospital Circle was awarded to two contractors and the works were scheduled to be completed by this December. 

New deadline

When contacted, MCC Development Officer Nagaraj told SOM that the road asphalting and beautification works would be completed within a month and added that the demolition of pending two buildings and completion of remaining works would take atleast 3 months (February 2021).

The demolition of buildings on either side for widening of Irwin Road was taken up in Jan. 2019. The 850-metre stretch from Ayurveda Circle to the Arch Gate on B.N. Road was to be widened either by 4 metres or 6 metres. Though the proposal was conceived four years ago, only the  stretch  from Railway Station to Ayurveda Hospital Circle and Nehru Circle to Arch Gate — has been widened. But more challenging for the MCC was the stretch from Ayurveda Hospital Circle to Nehru Circle which is narrow and commercially developed. Irwin Road connects Taluk Office (Mini Vidhana Soudha), Sub-Urban Bus Stand, Head Post Office, K.R. Hospital, Government Ayurveda College, New Sayyaji Rao Road, Railway Station, Devaraja Market, Bamboo Bazaar, Ashoka Road and several other key places.  

Out of 86 commercial and other buildings, 84 buildings have been demolished after paying compensation of a total amount of Rs. 37 crore to building owners. Earlier there was a delay in completion of works as a few building owners had moved the Court following which the Karnataka High Court had stayed  works in Jan. 2019. 

MLA L. Nagendra, who launched asphalting works from Government Ayurveda Hospital side recently, told SOM that due to lockdown, the works were stopped temporarily causing the delay. He said once the works on Irwin Road is completed and thrown open for traffic, it would become the second commercial hub like the Devaraj Urs Road. Works pertaining to drains, footpath and laying of underground cables is going on at present, he added.