A link to many roads

A link to many roads
Michael Patrao Michael Patrao Michael Patrao Michael Patrao Michael Patrao Michael patrao

One would automatically assume that Victoria Road was named after Queen Victoria, who was the Queen of England. However, it could also have been named after Sir Donatus Victoria, whose descendants used to own the Victoria Hotel, opposite Mayo Hall. It has now been demolished and in its place Bangalore Central, a mall has come up.

On the one end Victoria Road begins at the junction where Lower Agaram Road intersects it at ACS Public School. It runs for about a kilometre before joining the Richmond Road-Commissariat Road junction. It is a link road from Airport Road. Being a one way, the road is traffic intense.

Victoria Road has now been renamed as Sri Thyagi M Palani Velu Road, which is quite a mouthful and therefore people still prefer to call it Victoria Road. The Palmgrove Road joins it at a midpoint of the road length. The office of the Chairman and the Managing Director of Karnataka Meat and Poultry Marketing Corporation Ltd is also located at this point. There are several cross roads along the way leading to layouts such as Xavier Layout, Loyola Layout and Victoria Layout.

The office of the Development Commissioner (Handicrafts) of the Union Ministry of Textiles is on this road. The Regional Design and Technical Development Centre (Technical Wing) is in this office.

School Zone

There are three schools on this road. Shri Hindi Shikshan Sangh runs Hindi medium institutions including Amolakchand Chopda Hindi Balak Basti (established in 1950), Dhanraj Phoolchand Hindi High School (1953). The girls’ section was established in 1985.

The origins of Shri Hindi Shikshan Sangh, which was founded in 1950, can be traced back to Vanechand Javarilal, an enterprising businessman, who had trade links with the British Army, migrated to South India and settled down in Bangalore in the 18th century. Other North Indian businessmen followed suit. In 1819, Dhagdu Rishi, a Jain monk, visited Bangalore along with certain other monks. Among them, Amolak Rishi played a pivotal role in promoting education among the members of the Jain community in South India, particularly in Bangalore.

On the opposite side of the Hindi medium school is the Kendriya Vidyalaya, with a spacious ground. Further down the road there is the Kendriya Vidyalaya Girls hostel. The third school is the ASC Public School. The bungalow-like “Clareville” on this road belongs to the provincialate of the Franciscan Servants of Mary.

There are a few residential quarters belonging to military officials of the ASC (Army Supply Corps) Centre. It has only one major restaurant and two art, craft and handicraft centres. As of now the road is doomed to be a mere link road.