JOIN USCement medians to keep heritage beauty intact
After getting rid of road side vendors, mainly mobile eateries that were marring the beauty of the central business district, the Mysore City Corporation (MCC) has taken up yet another major initiative: Replacement of steel barricades by cement medians on roads in the heart of the city, dotted with heritage structures, including the famed Amba Vilas Palace.
On Tuesday, a joint inspection was carried out by officials from the MCC and Police Department near K R Circle. On an experimental basis, a cement median has been installed in front of the City Bus Stand, facing the circle.
MCC Commissioner C G Betsurmath told Deccan Herald that the existing metal barricades will be replaced by cement medians in another two months.
“The steel barricades were an eyesore in the heart of the city with haphazard arrangement and paints flaking out at places. They were connected by tying with ropes on busy roads to prevent people from crossing them,” he said.
Taking all these into cognisance, Betsurmath said it was decided to install cement medians. “Each median is two-foot tall, 1.5 feet wide in the bottom, five to six foot long and weighs not less than one tonne. Considering its weight, it is not an easy target for thieves and is more secure. It can be lifted only by crane,” Betsurmath claimed.
The cement moulds for medians are currently being made at the Town Hall, he added.
According to a police source, the city corporation has been requested to install the new type medians on 15 prominent roads in the city, including Sayyaji Rao Road (K R Circle to Government Ayurveda College and Hospital Junction), Albert Victor Road (K R Circle to Chamaraja Wadiyar Circle), Mahaveer Circle (Doddagadiyara Junction), parts of Bengaluru-Nilgiri Road, especially in front of Palace Jayamarthanda Gate Junction, KSRTC Sub-urban Bus Stand and Male Mahadeshwara Road (Cha trimara), Government House North Gate Junction towards Dr Rajkumar Circle (Jilani Petrol Bunk Junction), SP Office Junction to name a few.
The medians are modelled after Bengaluru and Chennai cities and will be painted black and yellow, a police officer said.
In the wake of burgeoning traffic, the city police were installing steel barricades on main roads, to ensure smooth traffic flow.