More than 40 State Government administrative offices are located on the premises of the Divisional Commissioner’s office. Every day, thousands of Government employees and public visit the sprawling campus for official work. However, the area is plagued by parking chaos caused by haphazardly parked vehicles. Dug-up drains, muddy roads and poor infrastructure near the administrative buildings expose the poor state of affairs on the campus. Given the volume of footfall it attracts every day, one would expect the complex to be maintained with a certain degree of care and efficiency. Instead, visitors are greeted by a maze of haphazardly parked vehicles, dug-up roads, stagnant water, mud-covered stretches and deteriorating infrastructure. What should ideally function as a well-organised public facility has gradually descended into a state of neglect, where even basic civic concerns remain unaddressed despite the presence of over 40 Government offices within the premises. 

 

One of the biggest issues it faces today is lack of adequate parking spaces. The entire complex is choked with vehicles navigating through a sea of vehicles that are sometimes parked in two or even three rows one after the other. “If you reach late, there is no parking space. If you reach early, you may get a parking space and then later discover someone has parked their vehicle behind yours, so you are essentially stuck until the other person comes to move the vehicle,” an advocate leaving the premises commented, expressing her frustration. A few designated parking spaces that do exist are either completely occupied or practically inaccessible. A spot visit by ‘The Hitavada’ revealed that while a few parking spaces for two-wheelers are available, they were filled to capacity.

 

Another parking area was found to be only partially occupied, but its entrance was riddled with potholes, loose stones and accumulated mud, making it difficult for commuters to access the space safely. Stalled construction activity: Several portions of the premises have been dug up for pipeline laying work, according to a local shopkeeper. He alleged that several parts of the road had been dug up, but work has been stalled for around a month. Several of these pits have been left inadequately barricaded.

 

This has already created stagnant pools across the premises. In many places, soil from the construction sites has washed onto the adjoining roads, making the surface slippery and increasing risk of accidents for both pedestrians and motorists. Water-logged pits can become breeding grounds for mosquitoes, while the unhygienic conditions may contribute to an increase in flies during rainy season. For a Government complex that houses several public offices and caters to hundreds of visitors every day, the prevailing conditions present an unflattering picture. Basic issues such as organised parking, safer internal roads, proper barricading of construction sites and effective drainage are fundamental civic requirements rather than luxuries. Until these problems are solved, citizens visiting the premises for any official work will continue to navigate inconvenience, safety risks, and avoidable delays.