MGP seeks judicial inquiry into MUDA affairs

'The Authority has been acting irresponsibly since 2008'

Mysore Grahakara Parishat (MGP) has sought a judicial inquiry into the affairs of the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) in connection with the Comprehensive Development Plan (CDP) under the Mysuru Master Plan since 2008.

Addressing a joint press meet, here, on Tuesday, convenors of the MGP Bhamy Shenoy and R Chandra Prakash said, there are three issues which need to be probed. “They are: why did MUDA stop developing residential layouts long back?, Why did MUDA approve hundreds of private layouts even as the new CDP was under progress? Why did MUDA fail to guide the consulting agency tasked with preparing the CDP?,” they said.

Stating that Mysuru would be ruined if the CDP is implemented in its present form, they said everything has to be started fresh. “This is a great opportunity to bring back the glory of Mysuru. The central business district (CBD) and the congestion related to it should be shifted away from the heritage zone around the Palace. This process should have started long back, but, it has to be done at least now,” they asserted.

Pointing out that MUDA had approved 342 private layouts over a decade from 2000-09, but the numbers rose to 706 in just five years from 2010-14, the activists held the authority responsible for all the mess in the city. “MUDA needs a thorough shake-up. Its role and responsibilities need to be re-defined. According to the 74th amendment of the Karnataka Municipalities Act it should be a part of the MCC, rather than being at loggerheads with the local civic body. The Corporators and other elected representatives should take up this issue in the best interest of the city,” they stated.

“Some of the private layouts, such as Roopa Nagar which has deposited crores of rupees with MUDA for water supply 25 years ago, are yet to get the facilities. So, imagine the plight of the 1000-odd layouts approved since the year 2000,” they said.

Describing the present scenario in the CBD as disintegration and chaotic, the MGP convenors said the future would be worse, as the pressure from Bengaluru is expected to be shifted on Mysuru in the next few years and the population would double in a decade.
“Present plans such as widening of roads and construction of multi-storey parking facilities in the heritage zone will only prove disastrous for the cultural capital. The economy of Mysuru is dependent on health, education and tourism sector. But, the CDP has failed to address them. No space has been earmarked for any university,” they pointed out.

They warned against multi-storey buildings coming up in general residential areas and suggested earmarking separate zones for such buildings and provision of adequate infrastructure.