The Hindu : Karnataka / Mysore News : Mysore to get face-lift for Dasara

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Sep 14, 2004

Karnataka

Karnataka - Mysore

Mysore to get face-lift for Dasara

By Our Staff Correspondent

MYSORE, SEPT. 13. With Dasara festivities fast approaching, the Mysore City Corporation (MCC) has initiated 33 developmental works worth nearly Rs. 3 crores, in an effort to spruce up the city for the festival.

Speaking to presspersons here today, the Mayor, Dakshinamurthy, said that the 33 works were part of 146 developmental works identified and they would cost around Rs. 9.86 crores.

The works included asphalting of roads, developing parks, sprucing up buildings, restoration of fountains and other works, he said.

Provision of permanent ornamental lighting at the Town Hall building and Chamaraja Circle, sprucing up of K.R. Circle and Visvesvaraya buildings, restoration of 21 fountains and development of 30 parks and circles across the city were planned, he said.

Potholes and road cuttings would be covered throughout the city at a cost of around Rs. 52 lakhs. Apart from the developmental works, he said that stress had been laid on the maintenance of hygiene and cleanliness.

He said that the works had been initiated anticipating the release of money from the State Government.

Release of funds

Expressing confidence that the Government would release funds, he said that the Deputy Chief Minister, Siddaramaiah, had assured the MCC that funds required to make this year's Dasara festivities a grand success would be provided.

Mr. Dakshinamurthy said that the efforts of the MCC in sprucing up the city would be supplemented with the resources of the Mysore Urban Development Authority (MUDA) and the Public Works Department.

Mr. Dakshinamurthy said that some of the major works being initiated this year were the sprucing up of the Visvesvaraya buildings, Devaraja Market, Chamaraja Circle, and Krishna Raja Circle. The work on the Visvesvaraya buildings, he said, would restore them to their original grandeur and it was part of the efforts being made to protect heritage structures.

He said that shop-owners had agreed to maintain uniformity in name-boards in which prominence would be given to Kannada with 75 per cent of the space allocated for the language.

Vintage car rally

Regarding preparations for the festival, the Dasara Deputy Special Officer and MCC Commissioner, A.B. Ibrahim, said that a vintage car rally would pass along the Dasara procession route an hour before the commencement of the jamboo savari. Nearly 35 vintage cars would be brought for the rally by the Bangalore-based Karnataka Vintage Club.

One of the special attractions during the festivities, Mr. Ibrahim said, would be the vintage car exhibition. The authorities have been scouting for a suitable place to organise the exhibition. The six-day exhibition of cars would precede the car rally on Vijayadashami day, he said.

Sponsorship

Mr. Ibrahim also said that several companies had come forward to sponsor various programmes that would be organised during Dasara. Companies such as Reliance, Tata, and a few petroleum companies had evinced interest in sponsoring events. He said that the administration was pushing for package sponsorship so that corporates would sponsor entire events such as the poets' conference, palace concerts, and wrestling.

Elephants

Allaying fears over the health of the elephants used in the Dasara procession, he said that barring a small abrasion, Balarama, the elephant that will carry the golden howdah, was healthy. He said that the bruise would heal before the event.

Mr. Ibrahim also said that the noted theatre personality, Girish Karnad, had expressed his inability to participate in the inaugural function of the Dasara celebration.

He said that efforts were being made to invite Hindustani vocalist Bhimsen Joshi to participate in the event.

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