Scavenger lanes of Mannagudde being redeveloped as link roads

‎Mangaluru: The unsightly scavenger lanes in the Managudde area of the city which remained unused for decades are finally getting the facelift they badly needed. The lanes have now been converted into well-equipped roads.

‎Underground drainage and water pipes have been installed along the 12 scavenger lanes of Mannagudde for the use of the residents of the locality. The works were carried out by the Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) under the KUDSEMP scheme at a cost of Rs 1.6 crore. At present, the lanes are being converted into all-weather link roads at a cost of Rs 1.6 crores.

In Mangaluru, Scavenger lanes were found only at Mannagudde and are a monument to the existence of the inhuman practice of manual scavenging. These were built during British rule in India, for the convenience of the white settlers who lived in the Mannagudde and Gandhinagar areas. These lanes were planned for the use of manual scavengers who picked up the human excrement often by hand, away from the public eye.

After the drainage system came up in the area, manual scavenging ended. Pipelines and manholes of the drainage system were later installed on the route. But over time, the path became unused and grass and shrubs grew.‎ Such separate paths can be seen at the back of a row of houses, and at most of the crossroads in Mannagudda to this day.

The locals did not show interest in maintaining these lanes as it was municipal land. As time passed, these unused lanes became an eyesore with waste being dumped here.‎ Some local residents took up the initiative to clean some of these lanes, but a complete overhaul was only possible after MCC took action.

MCC Mayor Premananda Shetty said that the redevelopment and asphalting of these lanes will not only help in utilizing them for interlinking roads but also aid in the general cleanliness of the area.