The township of the VISL factory in Bhadravati, Shivamogga, has now fallen into disrepair. Residential quarters, schools, and hospitals that once stood in grandeur have been neglected. Out of 4,200 houses, more than 500 have become dilapidated. All 14 welfare schools built by the factory have been shut down. Even the well-equipped hospital has fallen into ruin. The workers’ settlements now present a gloomy and sorrowful atmosphere.
The township of the Bhadravati Visvesvaraya Iron and Steel Factory (VISL), which once served as a model for the state with its workers’ quarters, welfare schools, and hospitals, is now deteriorating. In the 1970s and 1980s, the area had a well-planned underground drainage system, proper rainwater canals, neatly aligned houses, and exemplary cleanliness with no garbage in sight—setting a standard for how residential colonies should be maintained.
There was intense competition among workers to obtain these residential quarters. In the township that once witnessed days of grandeur, one now sees dilapidated houses everywhere—reduced to skeletal structures without doors or windows, overgrown with weeds—creating an atmosphere of gloom and desolation.
A total of 4,200 residential quarters were constructed in the township for workers. Of these, 800 HUDCO houses near the Military Camp have already been sold. Out of the remaining 3,400 houses, about 2,200 houses have been leased to retired employees, while around 500 houses have been rented to government employees. 220 houses are currently occupied by serving employees and officers. More than 500 houses have become dilapidated and fallen into disrepair. As the workforce at the factory has declined, the residential quarters too have deteriorated.
Roads and junctions that were once bustling with people and constant activity now wear a deserted look. The single- and double-storey residential buildings in New Town SWMC and Hutta Colony SWMC stand vacant, with their paint peeling off.
Thieves have stolen the doors and windows of many houses, leaving them looking like skeletal structures. On some roads, people feel afraid to move around not only at night but even during the daytime. If the occupied houses are not properly maintained, many more homes will fall into disrepair within the next five to six years.
Schools that have shut down: In addition to providing housing facilities for workers, the factory gave top priority to the education of their children and had constructed 14 welfare schools, ranging from primary to college level. Instead of the government, the factory itself directly managed these institutions.
Vidyamandir, Silver Jubilee, Golden Jubilee, the JTS that provided technical education at the high-school level, and the VISJ Polytechnic, which was renowned for quality technical education, were among the major institutions. Most of these schools have now been shut down.
Dilapidated hospital: The factory hospital, which once had a spacious building, well-equipped medical facilities, more than 25 doctors, and over 100 staff members, has also begun to fall into disrepair. The entire upper floor of the single-storey building has been completely closed, while nearly three-quarters of the ground floor has been shut, leaving only a handful of rooms in use.