Squatters in Bengaluru get houses in days while Mysuru slum dwellers wait for years!

Mysore/Mysuru: While the Congress Government has announced a swift decision to provide houses within just three to four days to displaced migrant families in Bengaluru’s Kogilu Layout — who had encroached upon vast stretches of Government land — the move has sparked strong resentment in Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s home district of Mysuru, where thousands of slum dwellers have been waiting for rehabilitation for years.

Residents of Mysuru allege a glaring double standard, pointing out that despite repeated appeals, their long-pending demand for housing has remained ignored.

At the same time, the Chief Minister has shown unusual urgency and generosity towards displaced migrants in Bengaluru. The announcement, made during the New Year, included Siddaramaiah’s assurance of immediate housing in Baiyappanahalli for Kogilu Layout residents.

Long-standing pleas ignored

Slum dwellers in Mysuru say they have consistently submitted petitions to Siddaramaiah during his visits to the city, seeking rehabilitation and basic amenities.

However, these pleas have failed to evoke any concrete response. Critics argue that the lightning-fast allocation of houses in Bengaluru exposes a stark imbalance in the Government’s priorities.

According to reports, the Chief Minister’s decision to expedite housing for the displaced families in Bengaluru was taken following the intervention of Congress National General Secretary K.C. Venugopal, a powerful party leader from Kerala.

Grim reality

In sharp contrast, slum residents in Mysuru continue to live in deplorable conditions, lacking even basic amenities such as drinking water, electricity and proper roads.

Chamaraja and Krishnaraja Constituencies together account for 106 slum areas, while Narasimharaja Constituency has 22 slum pockets. Only the Chamundeshwari constituency has been declared slum-free following rehabilitation.

Slum-free city promise unfulfilled

Under the National Urban Renewal Mission (NURM), the Centre had sanctioned funds to make Mysuru a slum-free city. During implementation, the Slum Clearance Board identified 115 slum areas, housing 19,500 families, with a population of 81,782.

A total of 6,328 houses were approved in Mahadevapura, Bannimantap and Sathagalli to permanently eliminate slums. Officials were warned that they would be held accountable for any new slum formation.

Despite these warnings, officials allegedly failed to act. Consequently, new slums have mushroomed in Bannimantap, Ghousianagar, Sathagalli and other parts of Mysuru, effectively reversing earlier rehabilitation efforts and turning these areas back into slum settlements.