City of Palaces getting ready for Dasara festivities

Preparations have begun in full swing for the 406th edition of Mysuru Dasara. The district administration, Public Works Department and Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) have launched civic works across the city to provide basic facilities.

Works like clearing of debris from construction sites, asphalting of roads and painting of heritage structures have begun. The MCC has hired an additional 280 civic workers to take up several works across the city. In addition, nearly 20 temporary toilets and drinking water facilities will be arranged at various places of the city.

The MCC has taken up repair works on major roads like Hunsur Road, Bengaluru-Nilgiris Road from LIC Office in Bannimantap to Hardinge Circle and Ashok Road. According to MCC authorities, all the streets that come under the corporation limits will be free of potholes to ensure free flow of traffic. Debris and waste will be cleared to keep the city clean. Debris on the Town Hall premises will be cleared to provide parking space for tourist vehicles, they said. Works will be taken up on priority to ensure convenience to tourists.

In addition, the authorities have roped in students of Chamarajendra Academy of Visual Arts (CAVA) to paint the walls of the city with murals, to reflect the beauty of the heritage city.

While the district administration has taken up painting of the Mysuru Palace, Chamundeshwari Electricity Supply Company (CESC) has taken up illumination works. Besides Mysuru Palace, heritage structures, including Crawford Hall, the administrative office of the University of Mysore, Deputy Commissioner’s Office, Divisional Railway Manager’s Office, K R Hospital and Cheluvamba Hospitals are likely to be illuminated. While incandescent bulbs will be used to illuminate the palace, LED bulbs will be used to light up the streets.

Special trains to clear Dasara rush

 The Mysuru division of the South Western Railway (SWR) will operate two additional trains on October 11 and 12 — one towards Bengaluru and the other towards Chamarajanagar — for tourists, who return after watching the Jamboo Savari and the torchlight parade on Vijayadashami.

Addressing a media conference here on Friday, Divisional Railway Manager Atul Gupta said the schedule for the trains is yet to be fixed. “Extra stops will be provided to the existing trains at the stations on both the routes and also on the Mysuru-Hassan route. Besides, extra coaches will be added to clear the rush following the annual festivities,” he said.