Vehicles, vendors turn MG Road into bottleneck

Mysuru: The stretch of Mahatma Gandhi Road between the underbridge and Mall of Mysuru Junction has become a traffic bottleneck. This place is popularly known as MG Road market. Vehicular movement slows down due to the parking of vehicles, especially goods vehicles, and also because of street vendors selling vegetables and fruits on both sides of the road.As the median along this part of the stretch is flat, vehicles cross the road suddenly causing hurdles in the free movement of vehicles. Adding to the woes, cattle movement is posing a threat to motorists. Two-wheeler riders struggle to wade through the stretch which is heaving with farmers, sellers, and customers during the evening and early morning hours.A police officer said authorities concerned have to provide facilities for farmers to sell their produce - fruits, and vegetables and also need to create space to park vehicles. “The police have put up boards for parking two-wheelers and four-wheelers separately on one side of the road yet farmers use the space to load and unload the agricultural produce causing hurdles. Farmers are requesting police to provide an alternate place to do business,” the officer said.When contacted, assistant commissioner of police (traffic) Parashurammappa H said the issue of the MG Road market is not new. “Authorities concerned have to take a call to address the problem and decongest the stretch. The traffic police have strictly directed farmers not to block or cause hurdles to vehicular movement by parking their vehicles on roads,” he said.Mayor Shivakumar said farmers have been doing business there for years. “Farmers have requested Mysuru City Corporation to provide alternate space following objections from the authorities. We have identified a place for them near the sewage farm facing the National Highway. If things go according to our plans, the market activities will be shifted from MG Road,” he said.