MYSORE: The proliferation of commercial hoardings and posters is ruining the beauty of the heritage city.

Though Mysore district in-charge and Minister for Cooperation G.T. Deve Gowda, has directed the Mysore City Corporation (MCC) to remove illegal hoardings and banners "within three days", such ad hoc diktats have not been effective in the past in the absence of clear-cut policy guidelines and lack of political will.

It is estimated that there are nearly 500 large licensed hoardings and more than 2,000 billboards which help MCC get nearly Rs. 30 lakh every year as revenue. But the number of illegal hoardings is not known. The MCC has pulled down nearly 40 commercial hoardings that were erected around the Palace premises. These hoardings were not only an eyesore but also marred the heritage ambience of the place. Some of these hoardings have been shifted to KRS Road and other places where there is a high density of billboards.

Heritage zones

Corporation Commissioner Chandrashekar told The Hindu that the Palace and its surrounding areas, including the K.R.Circle, Chamaraja Circle and the Hardinge Circle had been declared heritage zones and hence no commercial hoardings were allowed in these places.

State of K.R.Circle

While Chamaraja Circle and Hardinge Circle were relatively free of commercial hoardings, it is not so in K.R.Circle, which is a major commercial centre.

The historical K.R. Circle with the statue of Nalwudi Krishnaraja Wadiyar in the centre, is the favourite place for all political parties who erect buntings and banners proclaiming the arrival of their leaders.

Though the MCC has cautioned organisations and political parties against this, the warnings continue to be unheeded.

The city had witnessed public agitation on the proliferation of commercial hoardings in the past forcing the MCC to announce a drive. While the corporation's efforts to end the menace of obscene posters has been successful to an extent, the same cannot be said about the commercial hoardings.

It may be recalled that NGOs in the city along with heritage activists had taken exception to the MCC's decision to permit illuminated commercial hoardings along the Krishnaraja Boulevard adjoining the Maharaja's College and the court complex.

The Krishnaraja Boulevard is dotted with heritage structures leading from the Court Complex to the Oriental Research Institute and was one of the many routes identified for "heritage walk".

But the MCC gave the go-ahead for the commercial hoardings despite public opposition. Though it was stalled, the advertising agencies won a reprieve from the court.

With the city poised for greater economic activity there is a general perception that the corporation should be guided by a clear-cut policy so that its pursuit of higher revenue is not in conflict with the city's heritage status.

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