Mysuru bus stop dome row: It's now MP vs MLA vs NHAI

The bus stop dome row has taken a new turn with the National Highways Authority of India issuing a notice on November 15, to executive engineer of Karnataka Rural Infrastructure Development Limited in Mysuru and commissioner of city corporation for removal of 'unauthorised occupation'.

BJP MP of Mysuru-Kodagu constituency Prathap Simha has been asserting that he is committed to the removal of the domes (gumbaz) atop the bus-stop on Nanjangud/Ooty national highway near JSS college.

His fellow party leader S A Ramadass, under whose Krishnaraja Assembly constituency the bus-shelter is situated, has clarified that the domes were designed to project the heritage of Mysuru and were modelled on the Mysuru palace.

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The project director of NHAI said: “The bus-stop has been constructed even though many times our engineers have stopped the work within national highway. It is advised to remove the structure which is constructed to achieve a controversial end. One week time has been given to remove the controversial structure”.

The notice adds: “Since it has developed communal issues, as per the National Highway Administration Act, 2003, this may be treated as a notice. Otherwise, action will be initiated”.

Simha had, on November 13, triggered a controversy, which went viral on social media, saying that the domes atop the bus stop were constructed in Islamic style.

“There are similar domes atop a few other bus-stops in Mysuru. If officials concerned do not remove them in four days, I will demolish them myself by driving an earthmover,” he had said.

Supporters of Simha said kalashas were not there on the domes till the evening of November 13.

“The contractor placed the kalashas overnight, to give the impression that it was not an Islamic design,” they said.

Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Simha asserted that he was committed to remove the domes (gumbaz) on the bus-stop.

In a press release, issued on Tueaday night, Ramadass said bus shelters were being constructed in various parts of Krishnaraja segment at Rs 10 lakh and 60% of the works were done.

“False facts like the contractor is a Muslim are being spread on social media. The design, based on Mysuru palace, is wrongly being projected as that of a mosque. I have complained about this to the city police commissioner. The complaints that the kalashas were placed on the domes in a hurry on the night of November 13 are wrong,” Ramadass said.