Group Housing Scheme, construction of Peripheral Ring Road, Grade Separators at Ring Road Junctions among key projects

Mysore/Mysuru: Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) presented a surplus Budget of Rs. 6.03 crore for the year 2024-25.

Reading out the Budget for this financial year at the MUDA Office on JLB Road here this morning, MUDA Commissioner G.T. Dinesh Kumar said that the MUDA expects a revenue of Rs. 831.80 crore and the expenditure is proposed at Rs. 825.77 crore.

Explaining the highlights of the Budget, Dinesh Kumar said that under the affordable Group Housing Scheme, MUDA has received a whopping 80,000 applications, out of which 26,000 applications are considered for allotment of houses under the Scheme.

Pointing out that a 12-storyed housing complex, incorporating 560 homes will be constructed in Vijayanagar Fourth Stage, Second Phase using Shear Wall Technology, he said that the MUDA has set aside Rs. 40 crore this year for the project.

Peripheral Ring Road

Speaking about the Peripheral Ring Road (PRR) project, Dinesh Kumar said that the Peripheral Ring Road project is being executed considering the huge tourist influx and the rising population of the city, coupled with increasing number of residential layouts and industrial areas, that house many major industries and corporate entities. Highlighting the salient features of the project, he said that the jurisdiction of PRR extends up to 73.25 kms and the width of the road will be 45 mts. The PRR will also be inclusive of a Heritage Living and Sports Village, Pharmaceutical Clusters, Garments and Apparel Clusters, IT and BT Clusters, Educational and Health Clusters and Hardware and Software Clusters. The Detailed Project Report (DPR) of the PRR Project is estimated to cost Rs. 10 crore.

Grade Separators

Pointing out that with the ever increasing vehicular movement  challenging smooth flow of traffic, the MUDA has planned to construct Grade Separators at main junctions of the Ring Road such as Vijayanagar Fourth Stage (Basavanahalli), Bogadi Road and Kuppalur Road Junction at J.P. Nagar, the MUDA Commissioner said that Rs. 10 crore has been set aside in the Budget for appointment of consultants for preparing the DPR.

Explaining the sources of revenues for MUDA, Dinesh Kumar said the MUDA is expected to earn an estimated revenue of Rs. 20 crore from Property Tax, Rs. 15 crore from issuing new Khatas and Khata transfers and Rs. 10 crore from work supervision fees. As regards expenditure is concerned, the MUDA plans to spend Rs. 825.77 crore for execution of development works in MUDA developed layouts, Rs. 2 crore for securing MUDA properties across the city, Rs. 5 crore for computerisation of records of all MUDA branch offices, Rs. 5 crore for annual maintenance of all MUDA buildings, Rs. 30 crore for construction of commercial complexes and Rs. 145.50 crore for general administration and other plans and projects.

Continuing, Dinesh said, Rs. 55 crore will be spent for rejuvenation of lakes, Rs. 27 lakh for development of slums under Slum Areas Development Fund – 04, Rs. 44 crore for Infrastructure development, Rs. 100 crore for water supply projects, Rs. 15 crore for development of MUDA parks, Rs. 25 crore for 2nd phase of construction of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Bhavan and Rs. 50 crore for land acquisition meant for undertaking developmental works.

After Commissioner G.T. Dinesh Kumar read out the Budget, many Legislators, who are MUDA members, expressed disappointment that most of the  projects and plans that were mentioned in the previous Budget, have hardly been started or executed. They argued that the presentation of the new Budget with no execution of projects and programmes announced in the previous Budget was not worthwhile.

MUDA Chairman K. Marigowda presided. This is his first MUDA meeting after he took over as the Chairman earlier this week.

MLAs Tanveer Sait, G.T. Devegowda, K. Harishgowda,T.S. Srivatsa and Darshan Dhruvanarayan, MLCs Marithibbegowda, A.H. Vishwanath, Dr. D. Thimmaiah, C.N. Manjegowda, Madhu G. Madegowda and Dinesh Gooligowda, City Planning Member R. Sesha, Superintendent Engineer N.B. Channakeshava, Executive Engineer  Asif Iqbal Khaleel and other officials were present.

Reacting to the Budget, MLC Dr. D. Thimmaiah said that the Budget lacks mention of allotment of sites for the shelterless and addressal of other important  civic issues that have been bothering the city for long.

Noting that the Budget does not mention about housing projects for the poor and development of slums, he observed that the Budget lacked foresight on the city’s future development.

MLC Marithibbegowda opined that MUDA Budget has not earmarked sufficient funds for drinking water plans, with the city set to face a possible drinking water crisis due to failure of monsoon. He demanded early execution of Group Housing Project, which is in limbo for over a decade.