Drop Chamundi Hills ropeway plan

Protests against the Karnataka government’s controversial proposal to set up a ropeway at Chamundi Hills, a heritage site and biodiversity hotspot, have now grown louder with the erstwhile Mysuru royal family, led by Pramoda Devi, strongly opposing the project. The project, which was first proposed about two decades ago, was put on the back burner due to various concerns and Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai’s announcement in his budget proposals that it would be revived has taken many by surprise. The Chamundeshwari temple atop the hills, which has a history of over a thousand years, began gaining prominence after the Wadiyars assumed power in 1399 AD. Goddess Chamundeshwari is also popularly called Mahishasuramardini or the slayer of the demon Mahishasura, whose statue atop the hill is the centre of attraction. The hills also host a few other temples besides a monolithic statue of Nandi, the vehicle of Lord Shiva. Patronised by the Mysuru royals for centuries, the temple was renovated in 1827 AD by Krishnaraja Wadiyar III who also constructed a tower at the entrance. While the Wadiyars considered Chamundeshwari as the royal deity, every Mysurean has an emotional connect with the hills. The religious, cultural and historical significance aside, the hills hold over 442 species of flowering plants, 140 species of birds, 153 species of butterflies, not to mention several other animals.

The hills were declared a reserve forest in 1929. A ropeway with pillars all along the alignment not only violates various forest laws, but could also prove catastrophic from the environment and ecological point of view. Over the years, the serene hilltop which barely had a few small stores selling puja items has been converted into a bustling concrete jungle with a multi-level parking complex and hundreds of shops. Such rapid concretisation and degradation of vegetation have made the hills even more fragile leading to landslides in the recent past. A ropeway that disturbs the topography and adds to the footfall at the hilltop will be disastrous.

According to the protestors, the government is under extreme pressure from the hospitality, travel and tourism industries to go ahead with the project, but it should be remembered that Chamundi Hills is a pilgrim centre and not a tourist destination. Crass commercialisation should be avoided at any cost. The government has a responsibility to not only protect the sanctity of the place but should also ensure that it is declared a biodiversity hotspot. Bommai should take note of the overwhelming public opinion against the project and scrap it immediately.