MUDA's laissez-faire attitude cost 'modern Mysore': Prof

'Entrusting responsibility to private parties hampered development'

The City of Palaces Mysore that got a touch of modern and well planned city during the erstwhile rule of Wadiyar’s later lost its track, especially after the local bodies entrusted responsibilities to private parties for the systematic development of the city, asserted Assistant Professor of the department of history, Karnataka State Open University (KSOU) Prithvidutt Chandrashobhi.

Delivering a talk on ‘Development of city of Mysore’ organised at KSOU here on Thursday, Shobhi substantiated that by establishing City Improvement Trust Board (now Mysore Urban Development Authority- MUDA) in the year 1903, Wadiyar’s laid the foundation for building civic amenities towards realising modern Mysore. 

“The first three decades of the early 20th century witnessed stupendous developments. However, in a turnaround situation witnessed in the recent years, between 1980 and 90, MUDA conceded power to private parties in developing layouts, causing speculative investments, which eventually ending up in haphazard growth of the city. Amid this, there was an influx of learned people from other parts of the nation with many central institutions finding their foot in the city.”

Shobhi said, the fire mishap that reduced the old wooden Palace (of Wadiyar’s) into ashes in the fag end of 19th century also became a reason for systematic growth of the city. 

Post inferno, the city inside the palace fort was shifted outside, and wide roads were built and boulevards were developed in the surroundings of the new Palace that was under construction. Few more Palaces were built marking the contours of the city.

History

Most importantly, Shobhi said except for a few passing references in the history mentioning about the city consisting of one road that was mile long, not much was chronicled in the history about the city. 

Assistant Professor of ancient history Shelvapillai Iyengar elaborated on the art and architecture during the period of the princely rule, with the help of slides. 

Iyengar said Amba Vilas Palace is a mix of four styles of architecture - Hindu, Sarsenic (Persian), Gothic and Rajput. The temples built in the late 19th and early 20th century were of Dravidian style.

Dean (Academics) S N Vikramraj Urs listed the contributions of Wadiyar’s, especially the reservation system as propagated by the Miller’s Committee. 

Chairperson of Historical Studies and Research M Susheela Urs asserted that the Wadiyar’s followed the precedent set by the British after returning to power. When the then Maharaja Mummadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar fell victim to the coup in the middle of 19th century, the British intervened and held the reins ruling as chief commissioners for sometime.