Karnataka - Mysore   

Move on hoardings put on hold

By Our Staff Correspondent

The Mayor, Dakshinamurthy, discussing the hoardings issue with the citizen representatives Krishna Vattam, K.B. Ganapathy and M. Lakshman in Mysore on Wednesday. — Photo: M.A. Sriram

MYSORE, MARCH 2. The Mysore City Corporation has decided to put on hold its plan to allow putting up of commercial hoardings in the city following public pressure and criticisms by non-governmental organisations. There is also a move to convert Mysore into a "hoarding-free city".

This follows a meeting with the Mayor, Dakshinamurthy, and concerned citizens, led by Krishna Vattam, convenor, Mysore chapter of the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH), on Wednesday.

INTACH had taken exception to the corporation's notification announcing the auction of rights to put up commercial hoardings within a radius of two kilometres from the Krishnarajendra Circle. This, according to INTACH, would have marred the visual beauty and the architectural splendour of Mysore's heritage buildings whose conservation has received interest and attention from the Government.

However, the corporation's decision was seen as neutralising conservation efforts and citizen representatives, including K.B. Ganapathy and M. Lakshman, backed INTACH in stalling the corporation's move. The Mayor promised to postpone the auctions slated for Thursday. A decision on this will be taken only after the Mayor and the citizens of Mysore meet on Friday. Mr. Dakshinamurthy also said that he would write to the Government to make Mysore a city without hoardings on the lines of New Delhi and Chandigarh which do not allow large hoardings to be put up. He also said efforts would be made to make a one kilometre area around the Krishnarajendra Circle "dust free".

INTACH had criticised the corporation for deciding to allow commercial hoardings to be put up in the city and described it as a retrograde move opposed to the city's aesthetics. The corporation had proposed to install 100 hoardings in five zones and the number of commercial hoardings in the city was expected to increase.

The corporation's decision to temporarily suspend the auctioning of rights is seen as a relief by those striving to conserve the heritage of the city. Friday's meeting will be attended by the new members of the Heritage Committee, members of the Mysore Agenda Task Force, among others. The meet is also expected to take up the issue of putting up commercial hoardings on the Krishnaraja Boulevard. Though the work has been stopped temporarily, the citizens are expected to urge the Mayor and the authorities concerned to cancel the rights awarded to the agencies.

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