Mysuru: The city residents will soon enjoy safer, walker-friendly streets as the Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) prepares to upgrade footpaths across the city. The proposed improvements include repairing broken pavements, removing encroachments, improving drainage to prevent waterlogging, and ensuring smoother, even surfaces for senior citizens, children, and people with disabilities.
Key Features of the Upgrade
Officials also plan to add clearer road crossings, better street lighting, and protective barriers in high-traffic areas to reduce accident risks. By creating pedestrian-friendly infrastructure, the corporation aims to ensure pedestrian safety.
Residents Welcome the Initiative
Residents have welcomed the initiative, stating that safer footpaths will make daily commutes, school routes, and short errands more convenient and secure for everyone. Shanthamurthy and Rathnamma of T Narasipura noted that the city lacks proper, flat footpath space for pedestrians to commute safely without fear of being hit by vehicles. They added that pedestrian crossings are missing, and footpath spaces are either encroached or uneven.
MCC's Measures and DULT Assistance
MCC has initiated measures to make footpaths more walker-friendly and encourage safer pedestrian movement across key parts of the city. The Directorate of Urban Land Transport (DULT) is assisting the civic body in planning and upgrading pedestrian infrastructure. MCC Deputy Commissioner (Development) CS Manju stated that MCC is preparing a detailed project report (DPR) focused on improving footpaths, particularly in areas with consistently high pedestrian movement. The DPR is expected to map existing footpath conditions and prioritize stretches that require immediate attention due to heavy footfall and traffic conflict points.
Priority Locations
An officer informed that priority locations include bus stands, railway stations, major junctions, commercial stretches, and market areas where pedestrians frequently spill onto roads due to encroachments, uneven surfaces, or the absence of dedicated walking space.
The proposed upgrades are expected to address common issues like broken slabs, uneven levels, poor drainage leading to waterlogging, and obstacles blocking walking space. Additionally, the project will create safer crossings and better pedestrian continuity at intersections and junctions, where conflicts with vehicles are typically highest, such as Hardinge Circle.
