Masterplan to beautify Mysore soon

Mysore will shortly have a committee, being constituted by the government of Karnataka, for its beautification as part of boosting its image as a heritage city and tourist centre.

Besides drawing up a comprehensive plan for the purpose, a task force will also be set up for its implementation.

As part of this beautification, a proposal has already been drawn to erect arches on the six major approach roads to the city, on the model of the eastern Jayamarthanda Gate of the Palace, protect the 500 metre area around the Chamundi Hills for making it into a green belt, take steps to takeover rest of the illegally occupied lands around it, and have another peripheral ring round around 15 km radius of Mysore, in addition to the recently developed ring road about 8 kms off.

Despite opposition from environmentalists and others, the ropeway to Chamundi Hills, the 900-ft landmark of Mysore, may also come up, as land has already been allocated to the builder.

At a day-long meeting of about 40 invited personalities and organisational representatives, conducted by district incharge minister D T Jayakumar on Thursday, 20 major issues concerning the development of the city were discussed threadbare for suggestions and solutions.

To a suggestion that Mysore should be developed on the model of Singapore or Kuala Lumpur, made by the minister, the general feeling was that instead of aping it, the effort should be towards preserving and developing Mysore's identity as nourished and carefully nurtured by the Mysore maharajas.

The minister announced that a master plan would be drawn up for Mysore's beautification, which had suffered during the last three-four decades.

The issues that were discussed include reviving the glory of the famous Dasara procession by making it more attractive, protecting the identified 243 heritage structures, including the over century-old Devaraja market, reviving the lakes around Mysore, setting up of a separate authority for organising the Dasara celebrations.