MP calls for ‘flex-free Mysuru’ amid rising banner menace

At a time when the city is witnessing a surge in flex boards and banners, particularly to mark birthdays of political leaders, Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar, Mysuru MP, has urged his party workers and supporters to refrain from putting up such displays on his birthday on Tuesday, March 24, advocating his vision of a “flex-free Mysuru”.

The appeal comes even as the Mysuru City Corporation struggles to curb the growing flex menace, with prominent city centres increasingly cluttered with banners that detract from Mysuru’s heritage character.

Making his stance clear, the MP, in a statement, said his birthday should not be marked by extravagance, display, or unnecessary expenditure, but instead observed through socially responsible initiatives.

Emphasising the need to preserve the charm of Mysuru, which is widely regarded as a ‘cultural capital’, Mr. Wadiyar pointed out that flex boards not only deface the city but also pose environmental concerns and urged that no banners or hoardings be installed anywhere in the city to mark the occasion.

“A flex-free Mysuru is my dream. Let this change begin with my birthday,” he said, adding that directions have already been issued to remove any such displays if found.

He encouraged citizens and supporters to instead celebrate the day through meaningful activities such as blood donation drives, food distribution, tree planting, and other public service initiatives, calling them a more fitting tribute.

Meanwhile, large flex boards and banners continue to dominate key junctions and public spaces across the city, marring the city’s heritage image. Even heritage sites are not spared. Despite repeated warnings from the civic body that such unauthorised displays would attract penalties, enforcement has remained weak, with violations on the rise.