Protesters were back on Azeez Sait Main Road in the city on Thursday, for the third time this year, condemning its deplorable condition. It is one of the busiest roads in Narasimharaja Assembly constituency, cutting through the densely populated areas of Shantinagar and Ghousianagar.
The condition of the road, which has not been repaired for more than eight years now, has incurred the wrath of the residents of the localities. The recent rains have further worsened the condition of the road, where repair work had been taken up twice this year, but was discontinued due to various reasons including technical issues.
The Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI), which had given a call for protest on Thursday, has threatened to stage a demonstration in front of the main office of Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) and the residence of former Minister and Narasimharaja assembly constituency MLA Tanveer Sait if the road is not repaired in the next one week.
SDPI leader Amjad Khan, in a memorandum to the MCC Commissioner Lakshmikant Reddy, said neither motorists nor pedestrians can use the road. Though the matter has been brought to the notice of the MCC and the local MLA several times, only false assurances have been given, he regretted before threatening to stage a demonstration before the office of MCC and the MLA’s house if the road is not repaired in one week’s time.
Meanwhile, sources in the MCC said the repair works, which were taken up earlier this year at a cost of ₹2.5 crore, had to be discontinued due to non-availability of construction material during COVID-19.
However, when the work resumed in September, there was a demand from local people’s representatives, including MCC corporators, for a thicker layer of asphalt to bear the heavy load of vehicles that plied on the road. “To meet their demand, a variation estimate had to be submitted to the Government, which has already been done”, said an official.
The proposal is pending with the Directorate of Municipal Administration (DMA) in Bengaluru. The MCC officials said the Mr. Sait had already met the DMA officials in Bengaluru with a request to expedite the approval for the pending proposal and facilitate early resumption of repair work.
