Mysore/Mysuru: The Kalyana Mantapa (Community Hall) built by the City Improvement Trust Board (CITB) and the Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar Convention Hall constructed by the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) — recently rebranded as Mysuru Development Authority (MDA) — at Hebbal have both fallen into disuse, turning what was envisioned as a public-friendly infrastructure into neglected and wasted assets.

Former Corporator K.V. Sridhar has strongly criticised the authorities for allowing the halls to deteriorate into their current decrepit state. “These facilities were intended to benefit poor and middle-class families by providing affordable venues for family functions. Instead, they have been reduced to empty shells that serve no public purpose,” he said.

The CITB Hall, built nearly four decades ago, is currently being used by the District Administration as a godown to store Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs). Meanwhile, the Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar Convention Hall — constructed in 2017 at significant public expense — has been lying abandoned.

Strangely, the Nalwadi Convention Hall had earlier been outsourced to a private contractor, Siddarajappa from Mysuru, for an annual lease of Rs. 35 lakh. He, in turn, was charging a hefty Rs. 1.35 lakh per day to  event organisers.

However, after defaulting on lease payments and accruing Rs. 1.75 crore in arrears to MUDA, the facility was sealed. MUDA officials eventually recovered Rs. 1 crore from the contractor, but failed to take further steps to revive or repurpose the venue.

“Despite citing the initiation of a fresh tender process, officials have done little to bring the Convention Centre back to life,” said Sridhar, blaming administrative lethargy for the hall’s continued disuse.

MDA responds

MDA Assistant Engineer Sampath Kumar offered a clarification, stating that the CITB Hall is currently being used to store EVMs ahead of the upcoming Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) elections. “We have requested the District Administration to vacate the premises, but it may not be possible until the elections conclude,” he said.

Regarding the Nalwadi Convention Hall, he confirmed that it has now been leased to a Bengaluru-based contractor, Anu, for Rs. 40 lakh per annum. “We expect the hall to reopen for public use in the next 15 to 20 days,” he added.

Until then, however, both halls — intended as public assets — remain symbols of mismanagement and missed opportunities.