Mysuru Mayor enjoys police pilot service, courtesy cops but why?

Shyam Sundar Vattam | NT

Mysuru: Is a mayor eligible for a police pilot vehicle? According to protocol, it's not allowed but the first citizen of Namma Mysuru has been enjoying the facility since day one after assuming office! Never in the history of Mysuru has any mayor been given the privilege of having a police pilot facility.

But the incumbent Mayor, Shivakumar of the BJP has been using the police pilot facility usually given to ministers or chairmen of some boards and corporations who enjoy state minister or cabinet rank depending on the threat perception.

The puzzling question: is the Mysuru Mayor facing a threat of any kind? Of late, Mysureans have become used to seeing the mayor zooming on the potholed roads of the city accompanied by a pilot vehicle with a wailing siren.

This is happening at a time when the police force is short-staffed and is also facing a shortage of vehicles. It is intriguing how the police agreed to provide a pilot vehicle which is not allowed as per the rule book? If this continues, mayors in future too would insisit on the facility said sources. In fact Mayor Shivakumar had impressed citizens by moving on roads on his two-wheeler earlier.