Bengaluru’s lavish railway station premises look ugly with gutka-stains

Bengaluru’s Sir M Visvesvaraya railway terminal which made headlines earlier for its lavish airport-like infrastructure is now viral on social media for its filthy surroundings. The premises of railway station, which is the first AC terminus in the country is filled with Gutka spits and other waste material.
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In a viral Instagram reel, the visuals of the station reflected the pathetic condition of civic sense in tech capital.
The internet is divided on this issue where some people blame passengers for lack of common sense and hygiene, another section of people called government irresponsible for its inability to maintain the lavish infrastructure.

A user said, “The cycle of modernity and tradition, where the gleaming glass of progress meets the red spittle of age-old habits. Here we see Bengaluru’s railway station, once a beacon of world-class aspirations, now adorned with the abstract art of Pan-Gutka stains. It’s as if the city’s walls are telling us, ‘Yes, we can reach for the stars, but first, let’s make sure our roots are… visibly chewed upon.’ Remember, every stain tells a story of cultural juxtaposition, where development and habit perform a daily tango on the platform of public spaces.”
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A second user named Javeeth said, “The issue of pan and gutka stains at railway stations in India is a significant one, with Indian Railways spending a considerable amount annually to clean these stains.”
Javeeth also suggested biodegradable spitoon pouches for consumers to aviod spitting on public infrastructure. “Innovative solutions like biodegradable spittoon pouches have been introduced to tackle this problem. These pouches not only help in keeping the stations clean but also have seeds embedded in them, which can grow into plants, contributing to a greener environment,” he added.
The 4,200 sqm concourse building of SMVT is located at Bengaluru’s Baiyappanahalli and it costed ₹314 crore to Indian Railways. The fully air-conditioned railway station was launched in 2021.