• Former MUDA Commissioner leases prime building in Vijayanagar for paltry sum
• Cites ‘free internet to public’ claim to justify token rent mobile tower deal

Mysore/Mysuru: The controversy surrounding former Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) Commissioner G.T. Dinesh Kumar has deepened with a fresh revelation.

It has now emerged that he permitted a private firm to install a mobile tower atop MUDA’s           Vijayanagar First Stage commercial complex for a monthly rent of just Rs. 265.

The beleaguered officer has already spent time in jail and faces mounting legal troubles over the alleged irregularities in the allotment of prime MUDA sites worth thousands of crores under the controversial 50:50 ratio.

The latest disclosure is likely to add to his woes.

The approval, granted for 10 years, permitted the mobile company to erect a 9-metre-high tower supported by four poles. The order, dated May 20, 2024, was issued to a Bengaluru-based firm located in Rajajinagar.

However, sources said the tower had already been installed and operational for nearly two years before the permission was formally recorded.

The deal has raised eyebrows as telecom companies typically pay between Rs. 25,000 and Rs. 1 lakh per month to property owners in residential areas of Mysuru for installing mobile   towers, often along with substantial advance payments.

In comparison, leasing space on a prime MUDA commercial building for just Rs. 265 per month has triggered serious questions over the decision.

MUDA probe report gathering dust

Months have passed since the one-member Judicial Commission headed by Justice P.N. Desai submitted its report on alleged irregularities in the MUDA to the State Government. Yet, the findings remain under wraps, with no visible action taken so far.

Despite the inquiry reportedly examining irregularities running into thousands of crores of rupees, the report is yet to be made public or acted upon. Officials note that several Commission reports submitted to Governments over the years have similarly remained pending without follow-up action.

The MUDA probe now appears to have joined that list of inquiries awaiting a decision. The delay has drawn criticism from citizens, who say prolonged inaction on such reports weakens accountability and public confidence in institutions.

‘Order will be cancelled’

Mysuru Development Authority (MDA) Commissioner K.R. Rakshith has said that the controversial order permitting a private company to install a mobile tower atop MUDA’s Vijayanagar First Stage commercial complex for a monthly rent of just Rs. 265 will be cancelled immediately.

He said the approval, granted during the erstwhile MUDA’s tenure for a 10-year period, is now under review. However, the file related to the tower installation is reportedly missing. Despite extensive searches, officials have so far traced only a photo of the order that was sent to a mobile phone. “An inquiry is underway and this order will be cancelled immediately,” Rakshith said, indicating that the Authority will move to revoke the approval.