Mysuru: With less than a month remaining for the Mysuru Dasara festivities, the Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) has taken up 17 packages of civil works across the city to improve roads, footpaths, parks and other public infrastructure.

The works are being undertaken ahead of the annual festival, which attracts visitors from across India and abroad. The civic body is using its own funds for the works, as the State government has not been allocating special packages for Dasara-related civil works in recent years.

MCC Commissioner M K Savitha said the civic body was undertaking the works to give Mysuru a facelift ahead of the festival and present the city better to visitors.

Road and footpath works along procession route

A major focus of the works is the improvement of roads and footpaths along the Dasara procession route and other important stretches used by visitors.

The MCC is repairing footpaths around the Mysuru Palace, including the stretch from Dufferin Clock Tower to RMC Circle on Rajamarga. Footpath repairs are also being carried out from Highway Circle to LIC Circle and from Five Lights Circle to JSS Dental College.

Along Chamaraja Double Road, footpaths are being repaired between Thyagaraja Road and Ramaswamy Circle. The civic body is also undertaking footpath repairs, step development and other works between RMC Circle and Highway Circle along the procession route.

A deck slab is also being constructed near the junction of Tilaknagar Fourth Main and Pulikeshi Road-Tilaknagar First Main Road.

Pothole filling on major roads

Pothole filling and asphalting works have been taken up on several important roads across the city.

Under Zone 6, works are being carried out on the stretch from Jayachamarajendra Circle, also known as Hardinge Circle, to Highway Circle. Pothole filling and road works are also being undertaken on Irwin Road, Ashoka Road, Bengaluru-Nilgiri Road, Mirza Road, Nazarbad Main Road, Theobald Road, Kabir Road and Benki Nawab Road.

Other roads covered include K R Street, Saade Road, Mission Hospital Road, Pulikeshi Road, Umar Khayyam Road, Dhanvantri Road from Dasappa Circle to Sayyaji Rao Road, Diwan’s Road from Irwin Road to Chamaraja Double Road, Seetha Vilas Road and Santhepete Road between Narayan Shastry Road and K R Circle.

Additional pothole-filling works have been taken up on Gurupadaswamy Road, New Kantharaj Urs Road, Adichunchanagiri Road, Ashoka Road, Udayaravi Road, Akkamahadevi Road and Ramakrishna Road under Zone 2.

In Zone 4, road works are being undertaken on Gokulam Main Road, Vivekananda Road, Paramahamsa Road, Saraswathipuram Swimming Pool Road, Contour Road and Adipampa Road.

Parks receive attention

The civic body has also included several parks in the pre-Dasara improvement programme.

Vishnuvardhan Park is being developed, while interlock tiles are being installed at the park in front of Ramakrishna Hospital on JLB Road.

At a park in Ward 52, children’s play equipment and gym equipment are being repaired, while grills are being painted.

At Dr Rajkumar Park and the statue park next to Highway Circle, the MCC is repairing pathways and painting grills and compound walls.

Kerbs, medians and road markings

Painting works are being carried out on medians, kerbs and electric poles along several prominent roads and around important city landmarks.

Under Zone 1, the works cover areas around Mysuru Palace, Sayyaji Rao Road and the Nanjangud-Ooty Road, besides Ramaswamy Circle, B Rachaiah Circle and Agrahara Circle.

Similar works are being undertaken around Maharaja’s College Ground under Zone 3 and on Temple Road, Hunsur Road and Open Air Theatre Road under Zone 4.

Medians and kerbs are also being painted under Zone 6, while Bannur Road has been included under Zone 9. Works are also planned at other locations around Bannimantap Ground.

Road humps and zebra-crossing areas are being repainted in Zones 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5. The locations include areas near the Government Guest House gate, Ambedkar Circle, Fountain Circle, Tipu Circle, LIC Circle, JSS College and Church Circle.

Statues and welcome arches to be refurbished

As part of the city beautification efforts, the MCC is painting the statues of Sri Chamaraja Wadiyar, Dr B R Ambedkar and Sri Krishnaraja Wadiyar.

The respective gopuras associated with the statues are also being painted.

Welcome arches are being developed at entry points to Mysuru as part of preparations to receive visitors arriving in the city for the festival.

Special arrangements for Dasara

The MCC has also planned several temporary arrangements for the Dasara festivities.

The dividers on Sayyaji Rao Road will be removed during the festival and reinstalled later. The civic body will deploy workers and tractors under Zone 6 to clear debris and clean footpaths.

Seating arrangements will be made near Town Hall and Small Clock Tower to enable visitors to watch the Dasara procession.

The MCC will also make arrangements for the 10-day drama festival at Town Hall. The arrangements will include scenery, lighting and loudspeaker facilities.

With the festival drawing closer, the civic works are expected to continue across different parts of Mysuru. The focus on major roads, procession routes, public spaces, parks and visitor facilities is aimed at ensuring that key areas of the heritage city are ready for the increased movement of tourists and residents during Dasara.