Mysuru: Residents of Shivarathreeshwara Nagar also known as Bannimantap ‘B’ Layout have threatened to block the Mysuru-Bengaluru Road on Jan.20 if the authorities failed to provide basic amenities.

Addressing a press conference at Pathrakartara Bhavan recently, Secretary of Shivaratreeshwara Nagara Residential Forum Syed Rahamath Ulla said that this area comes under Ward No. 45 and is more than 36 year-old layout. But the area is in a bad shape.

“The roads, stormwater and underground drains, street lamps and six parks, which resemble a mini forest with wild growths, are all in a pathetic condition. Despite repeated requests, the authorities have not done anything. Hence, we plan to stage a rasta roko on Jan. 20,” he said.

He said the area looks like a revenue layout, as it is deprived of basic facilities, in spite of the residents paying property taxes, water and power bills.

Shivaratreeshwara Nagar was established 36 years ago when R. Gundu Rao was the Chief Minister. The ward now comes under the constituency of Primary and Secondary Education Minister Tanveer Sait. However, none of the elected representatives have bothered to take any steps to develop civic amenities in the area,” he said.

According to the residents, it is one of the important layouts in the city, close to the entry point of the heritage city. Columbia Asia Hospital, JSS Medical and Dental Colleges and St. Philomena’s College are all close by and many foreign students study in these colleges and live in the area.

“Woman and children find it very difficult to walk on the roads at night as it is dark, without proper streetlights. The parks have become dumping yards for garbage and sign boards are not installed with house numbers and crosses,” he said. The residents charged that the Corporator of Ward 45 Pushpatvathi has never visited the ward after the Mysuru City Corporation elections.

They demanded that the Mysuru Urban Development Authority auction corner sites and use just 10 per cent of the revenue earned to develop the area.