Subways to Hell

• 2 subways locked, filthy, unsafe and forgotten
• Built for pedestrians but unlocked only for Dasara

Mysuru: Two pedestrian subways in Central Business District of Mysuru city, one on Sayyaji Rao Road and another near Mysore Palace, built years ago at a cost of crores of rupees, have once again been shut to public use, raising questions over their utility and maintenance.

The subways were constructed to help pedestrians cross busy roads safely, particularly after median dividers were installed to prevent people from crossing the roads directly. However, both structures have failed to serve their intended purpose and have now become glaring examples of poor planning and civic neglect.

A ground inspection of the subway at the Dhanvantri Road-Sayyaji Rao Road junction, near the Bata Showroom this morning, found the facility in a state of neglect. One gate on the left side of Sayyaji Rao Road, leading towards a medical store, was found unbolted, though an attached lock was in place. The opposite entrance near the Bata Showroom remained shut.

The passage is filthy and unhygienic, with no signs of regular cleaning or maintenance. Shopkeepers and residents in the area said the subway’s design itself was flawed and had failed to encourage pedestrian use.

The subway near the Exhibition Grounds is in no better condition. Both its entrances were found locked. Rainwater accumulates inside the passage due to inadequate drainage, while the absence of regular cleaning has left it emitting a foul smell.

The lighting system installed when the subway was constructed has not been properly maintained, leaving the passage dark.

Commuters and nearby shopkeepers said, the poorly monitored space has also become a hangout for anti-social elements and a place where solicitation and other undesirable activities take place, making pedestrians wary of entering the subway.

Unlike heavily used pedestrian subways in cities such as Bengaluru, including those around Majestic, the Mysuru subways have failed to attract regular footfall. As a result, pedestrians continue to risk crossing busy roads at surface level rather than using the underground passages built specifically for their safety.

MCC opens subways briefly during the Dasara festival to facilitate the movement of large crowds between the Mysore Palace and the Exhibition Grounds.

However, the lack of regular maintenance, sanitation, lighting and security has left the facilities practically unusable even during Dasara.