Challenges awaiting new Madikeri CMC body

Problems include drinking water, good roads and bus stand

However, in the last two years, Madikeri town has seen sea of changes with regard to the development works. The new administrative body will have a great challenge to implement permanent projects to solve several problems haunting the CMC limits for the last several years.

During the reign of CMC President P D Ponnappa and Vice-President Latha Bangera, few roads have been converted into concrete roads. Solar lamps have been installed in the main streets and at some layouts and wind power has been used for lighting the CMC office. 

Amongst all achievements, getting sanctioned three acre land from Bangalore Agriculture University for constructing private bus stand is lauded by many citiznes.

After the BJP government came to power in the State, all the CMCs received Rs 15 crore under Chief Minister’s Small and Medium Town Development Project.

To solve drinking water woes in Madikeri, the State government has approved Rs 30 crore for Kundamestri project. The CMC will have to pay back Rs 15 crore which will be raised through various financial institutions as loan. However, the remaining Rs 15 crore will be borne by the State government.

 The CMC has decided to hand over the work to Sai Sudheer Infrastructure company.
The people of the city feel that the new administrative body should give priority to the implementation of Kundamestri project for supplying drinking water to the city.

Another challenge before the new body is shifting of private bus stand which is situated in a congested place.

Inspite of acquiring land from the Bangalore Agriculture University, the work on the bus stand could not be undertaken owing to the stay order from High Court for constructing commercial complex, star hotel along with private bus stand on Private Public Participation mode.

Though the main roads have been concreted in the city, the interior roads are in deplorable condition, creating lot of inconvenience to the vehicle users. The CMC has a challenge to develop interior roads.

At the same time, hilly regions cave in during monsoon. Hence, there is a need to shift the families residing in hilly region to the safer places. The assurance of previous District-in-Charge Minister Ramachandra Gowda on providing rehabilitation facility to a family, in which six were killed following the caving in of a compound wall at Mekeri in 2006, has remained only on papers.

On a whole, the new body has to give priority to the development in CMC limits.