MYSURU: The Mother Teresa Road in front of Mysuru KSRTC suburban bus stand has been what officials call a ‘yellow spot’ — a place repeatedly used for urinating in public — for the past 30 years.In an overnight move, Mysuru City Corporation (MCC)changed the fate of the stretch — on Tuesday, it installed mirror-like stainless steel sheets at the chronic nuisance spot that reeks of urine. Within 24 hours, officials say, there has been a 90% drop in travellers rushing to the spot to relieve themselves. The last-ditch move from MCC comes after several ‘clean city’ campaigns yielding no result.The 10-ft open drain along the road had turned into an eyesore and a hygiene concern for the city corporation trying to stop public from urinating here. Earlier, it tried to install railings along the drain, but to no avail. Worse, the open drain became a dumping ground. The Mysuru initiative echoes a similar experiment carried out in Bengaluru on Church Street in 2020.Reflection a ‘psychological deterrent’When nothing worked, it brought in 85metre-long, 5-foot-high reflective panels.Officials said the idea is expected to be discussed at the next Swachh Bharat meeting as part of a broader effort to eliminate such nuisance points across Mysuru city.
Mohammed Mustafa, assistant executive engineer, UGD section, MCC, told TOI the idea was introduced on an experimental basis after earlier efforts failed to keep the place clean.According to him, the reflective surface appears to have created a “psychological deterrent”, making people uncomfortable about urinating in front of what looks like a mirror. He said the response so far has been positive, and that the spot, once notorious for filth, now presents a much better appearance. MCC has spent Rs 9lakh on the project, including fabrication, installation of stainless steel plates, footpath work and related civil works. Officials say the intervention is relatively cost-effective.The transformation of the bus stand stretch has drawn appreciation from citizens and social media users.
