Residents irked over incomplete road works

The residents of Manchegowdana Koppal, near Vijayanagara Water Tank, vendors of the area and motorists using the Ring Road via Abhishek Circle, face the brunt of rising air pollution due to incomplete road works, which are pending since several months.

The residents and motorists are forced to cover their face with masks due to dust and the children of the area complain about health issues such as asthma.

Thanks to the authorities of the Mysuru City Corporation (MCC), people's representatives and officials of Karnataka Urban Water Supply and Drainage Board (KUWS&DB), for not completing the works.

The authorities dug-up the roads to lay a pipeline between Manchegowdana Koppal and Ring Road, via Abhishek Circle, six months back. But, the road is yet to be fixed. The road connects Hebbal Industrial Area and a large number of employees depend on it to reach their workplace.

A shopkeeper near Abhishek Circle, Vasundhara said, "The condition is miserable. We have to cover the face with mask throughout the day. Despite repeated requests, no people's representative is available to listen to the plaints. My six-year-old son spends most of the time in the shop. Now, he is suffering from health issues due to dust.”

Subash claimed that a few people staged a protest recently, but, nothing changed. “Our request to Corporator Prema Shankaregowda, MLA L Nagendra did not yield any results. People's representatives are not bothered about the people,” he blamed.

Even though the people are facing hardships, the officials are not worried. The MCC authorities claim that the works are delayed due to delay in pipeline laying and the authorities of KUWS&DB claim they completed the works two-month back.

Prema Shankaregowda said that the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) had sanctioned Rs 5 crore to asphalt the road from Kalidasa Road to Ring Road. "But, the works of laying pipelines is pending. The officials claim that the hydraulic test of the pipeline is pending. We have raised the issue in the council meeting. But, the work is yet to be taken up,” she said.

An officer said, the tender process is at almost the final stage and is with the state government. There was opposition for using the funds of MUDA. Thus, the works were delayed. The works will be completed soon. There are plans for widening of the road at some points, he said.