Visvesvaraya's birthplace gets a raw deal

Muddenahalli, 152 years later

Every year it has become a ritual to celebrate the birth anniversary of Sir M Visvesvaraya on September 15, also celebrated as Engineers’ Day. The 152nd birth anniversary of MV witnesses the sorry state of his birth place, Muddenahalli.

Every year during the celebrations ministers and people’s representatives make tall promises about developing Muddenahalli as a model village, but promises are not kept.
There are many proposals initiated for the development of Muddenahalli, which is located 7 km from Chikkaballapur.

These include the 12,000-acre BIAL IT Investment Region, the largest IT region in India; a railway station and line from Chikkaballapur to Muddenahalli and a gondola lift from the summit of Nandi Hill to Muddenahalli.

Other proposed projects include Indian Institute of Technology Muddenahalli, Visvesvaraya Institute of Advanced Technology, “Silk City” SEZ  and National Skill Development Centre.

Quarries everywhere

Granite quarrying and transportation in the surrounding areas have affected the environment of Muddenahalli and the areas surrounding it. Permitting granite quarrying in the area is in contrast to the proposal to make Muddenahalli and model village and a tourist spot.

Beginning from the border of Muddenahalli, rampant quarrying is carried out in Chigatenahalli, Bandahalli, Suddahalli, Kalavar, Madurenahalli, Gauchenahalli and Hosur and trucks carry heavy granite causing damage to the roads.

Visvesvaraya knew that in the modern world, industry is the backbone of a country. He developed the existing industries. For example, he elicited the help of experts in the silk industry from Italy and Japan.

To enable rural persons to get jobs he established the Kisan Silk Industry in 1952 in Melur of Shidlaghatta taluk and inaugurated it.

He had a vision of the future.