Makeshift encroachments thrive, but action comes only on KRS Road

Mysore/Mysuru: Despite rampant footpath encroachments across Mysuru, civic authorities sprang into action only after illegal shops suddenly appear along the heavily congested KRS Road.

On Friday morning, officials of Zone-6 of the Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) demolished two makeshift shops that had come up near the CFTRI junction, close to the Vani Vilas Water Works.

The drive was carried out on the Commissioner’s orders. However, officials could not explain who erected the structures or when they came up. Repeated attempts to contact the Commissioner for clarification proved futile.

Public outcry

Residents have long voiced anger over unchecked encroachments on footpaths across the city. With shopkeepers occupying pavements by displaying goods and vehicles parked for business, pedestrians are routinely forced onto busy carriageways, exposing them to serious risk. The proliferation of fast-food stalls in narrow spaces has further aggravated the problem.

Citizens allege that civic authorities have failed to take sustained action to preserve Mysuru’s reputation as a clean and beautiful city, allowing encroachments to flourish with little deterrence.

Negligence and risk

Residents said the sudden emergence of shops on KRS Road highlighted official apathy. The stretch is a key arterial road carrying heavy traffic, including buses bound for Pandavapura, Hebbal Industrial Area and Yelwal, apart from water supply vehicles from the Vani Vilas Water Works.

They warned that had the illegal shops remained, accidents would have been inevitable, with customers parking on the roadside and heavy vehicles negotiating an already congested corridor.

Citizens cautioned that unless authorities adopt a consistent and preventive approach to remove footpath encroachments, the situation would spiral out of control.

“It is better to act now than trade blame after a tragedy,” a resident said, urging the MCC to prioritise pedestrian safety and urban order.