Mysore/Mysuru: Vijayanagar Road, a crucial link connecting various parts of the city, has become a nightmare for residents and businesses due to incomplete Underground Drainage (UGD) works. The ongoing construction, which started one-and-a-half months ago, is incomplete yet and has severely disrupted daily life of people.

Following rains, the already dug-up road has turned into a slushy mess. Residents, particularly senior citizens, are finding it difficult to walk in the area, and there is growing scepticism if the road will be restored to its original condition after the completion.

A resident, speaking to Star of Mysore, expressed frustration over the slow pace of progress. “Due to poor condition of the road, movement from our houses to other areas has been hampered. We have to take a roundabout route to reach even the shortest destinations. No autos or cabs are willing to take a booking in the area, and we have to pay double the fare even during the day,” he said.

This section of Kalidasa Road extends from Mathrumandali Circle, passing beyond the MUDA Complex, MLA G.T. Devegowda’s house, and joins the junction of Vijayanagar Main Road, near Yoganarasimhaswamy Temple.

The UGD works are being carried out by Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) to repair the old drainage system, affecting this main road that connects Vijayanagar to Jayalakshmipuram, Vontikoppal and Gokulam.

The road is a significant thoroughfare for vehicles connecting Vijayanagar to Vontikoppal from the Yoganarasimhaswamy Temple side and from the Aishwarya Petrol Pump side that brings vehicles from Vijayashreepura and Bogadi. Hundreds of people also come daily from Hunsur and Kodagu side to Vijayanagar and adjoining areas and this road is a crucial connecting link.

It is a preferred route for many morning and evening walkers heading to a nearby park. However, the ongoing construction has made walking on the road dangerous, with multiple sections dug up for the pipeline work.

Businesses along the road are facing severe financial losses, with daily revenues plummeting by lakhs of rupees. The road’s closure has forced vehicles coming from Vontikoppal to Vijayanagar side to take a detour of over 3 kms via High-Tension Road. Similarly, vehicles from Aishwarya Petrol Pump side have no entry, disrupting the flow of traffic on this road.

Residents are particularly frustrated because there is currently no MCC Council or area Corporator to address their concerns. “We tried to ask the workers and engineers at the site about the timeline, and they told us that the work is complete, and curing works are ongoing. They mentioned it would take another month or so for curing to be completed and for the road to reopen for traffic,” a resident explained.

Residents are calling for swift action to complete the UGD works and restore normalcy to Vijayanagar Road.