The pathetic condition of Mini Vidhana Soudha

Stinking toilets, non-functional lift, defunct Sakala kiosk, plants growing on terrace, seeping walls, garbage heaps everywhere

Mysore/Mysuru: Mini Vidhana Soudha, located in Nazarbad and built on a two acre plot at a cost of Rs. 8.2 crore, is crying for attention due to lack of maintenance. Despite several complaints from the public about the pathetic condition of the building with most of the facilities such as lift, drinking water, toilets being defunct since many months and even publishing the same in newspapers, the condition has remained the same with the public cursing the authorities concerned whenever they come to the building to get their works done.

The Mini Vidhana Soudha, which houses the Taluk Office, Sub Registrar’s Office, Taluk Panchayat Office, Assistant Director of Land Records Office, Assistant Agriculture Director’s Office, Canara Bank branch and various other Department offices was inaugurated in 2013 to avoid public from running from one Department to another to get their works done. Though it is not even a decade since its inauguration, the place is dogging with several problems.

Lift defunct since a year

Mini Vidhana Soudha has two floors and an elevator (lift) was installed, which helped people with disabilities, pregnant women and senior citizens reach the first and second floors.

But the lift has stopped working since a year and none of the officials concerned have bothered to get it repaired. With the lift not functioning, persons with disabilities, pregnant women and senior citizens are finding it very difficult to climb the multi-steps stairs to reach the offices housed on the 1st and 2nd floor of the building, cursing the concerned officials and authorities for their negligent attitude.

Toilets locked by staff for personal use

Though there are toilets in every floor, a majority of them are stinking due to non-maintenance and regular cleaning. “A few clean toilets are locked by the staff for their personal use and have kept the keys with them thus forcing the public to use the stinking toilets and risking themselves of catching infections,” public said.

Defunct Sakala kiosk

A Sakala kiosk, installed by the Department of Information and Public Relations in the building for the public to know about the status of their applications has now become a display item as it has become defunct & useless.

Though many use to seek information about the status of their applications earlier, they are now roaming from one Department to another Department to get the information they needed.

Plants, bushes grown on terrace, walls

With the above problems being faced inside the building, if one goes to the terrace, they can see plants and small bushes growing on the terrace and also on the walls.

Concrete flooring has come off in many places and rain water is seeping inside the walls making it weak. Cracks have developed on the walls and rain water seeping from the terrace may leak from the cracks any time.

The building lacks cleanliness as garbage heaps and waste materials such as fused bulbs and tube lights and glass pieces are found everywhere.

The cellar of the building where vehicles are parked is no different. One can find dust covered Department vehicles lying there. The funny part is no one knows to which Department these vehicles belong to. Meanwhile, members of the public said that the Mini Vidhana Soudha, which has been built with taxpayers’ money, has gone for a waste and if the building in not maintained regularly, it may meet the fate of the Lansdowne Building.