Mysore/Mysuru: Amidst growing chorus including from well-known Mysuru residents against the proposed ropeway project atop Chamundi Hill, Mysuru District-in-charge Minister and Minister for Cooperation S.T. Somashekhar said that the public opinion against the project will be conveyed to the CM Basavaraj Bommai.
The revival of the ropeway project to Chamundi Hill — which was kept in the backburner for years due to constant opposition to it from various quarters — was announced in the last budget presented by the CM, who also holds the Finance portfolio.
Ever since the project was announced to be taken up under the Centre’s Parvat Mala Scheme, opposition has been growing. Well-known personalities including Chamarajanagar MP V. Sreenivasa Prasad, member of erstwhile Mysore royal family Pramoda Devi Wadiyar and former Mayor B.L. Bhyrappa opposed the project tooth and nail.
Joining the chorus were various environmental groups and organisations. Bowing to public pressure, Minister Somashekar told reporters in Bengaluru that the Government won’t pursue the project if the public doesn’t want it. He told reporters in Mysuru yesterday that he has examined the statements in the media and would convey the sentiments of the people to the CM.
“The ropeway project has both pro- and anti-stance and the CM has to decide on it. Regarding the restoration of Devaraja Market and Lansdowne buildings, MLA L. Nagendra has already brought the issue to the attention of the CM. All the issues will be suitably decided,” he said.
Caterpillar moustached toad Basavaraja Bommai should be pressurised through the central leadership like PM Modi and Amit Shah, who should be invited by a Samiti of all those Mysoreans who care for the iconic Chamundi Hill to ensure that no developments of any kind including the Rope Way takes place , and that the Hill should be preserved as a place for worship and not as a tourism spot.
Further, except those who are required in their presence for the daily worship of the temple-the priests, the administrative staff, only a small core of them with the the small maintenance staff, other residents should be cleared off the Hill. As for the Palace there which has crumbled over the time, best to remove the remnants altogether, and use the space to grow essential fruits and vegetables needed for the prasadams of the Hill..
It is utter folly to conflate the restoration of this Hill, with the restoration of Devaraja Market and Lansdowne building, which were abandoned 5 decades ago, because they were economically not viable. The Lansdowne building shops were of the size of match boxes unsuited for expanding businesses, and hence the shop owners left to locate their businesses elsewhere. The building was abandoned as a result.
As for the Devaraja Market, the complex web of lessee, sub-letting and ownership of the shops meant large overhead in running them, and that impacted the pricing of fruits and vegetables sold there. As Mysore began to expand then, nimble street markets emerged in every area in the city,which sold fresh vegetables and fruits at prices fraction of what Devaraja Market shops sold. Hence, customers walked away from this Market.
Devaraja Market was also abandoned as a result.
No point in reviving the above two at tax payers expense. Pramoda Devi offered to renovate them at the cost of SD Wadiyar named funds, and let her do it. I wonder when both were found to be unsuitable for the purpose even 50 years ago, the question is what would these two buildings when renovated be used for?
If the ex-Mayor and others want to stop the Ropeway construction and other developments on the Chamundi Hill, they should go to New Delhi, wait to meet PM Modi and other central leaders, asking the PM and the President too, to visit the Hill to show him how this Hill is systematically destroyed by developments. They should also lobby UNESCO to declare this Hill specifically as a special heritage site. Short of this the fool Basavaraja Bommai will go ahead and order the construction of this infernal Rope Way. The Hill road should be reserved only for the taking the elderly who cannot climb the steps as well as the disabled. The rest should use the steps. An exception could be made for leaders like the CM-not ministers , PM and the President. The rest fat cat politicians should walk up the Hill using the steps. That is good exercise for these fat cats!