Mysore/Mysuru:  Senior Congress leaders have reportedly advised Chief Minister Siddaramaiah against moving forward with the proposed Greater Mysuru City Corporation plan, citing the city’s existing civic challenges and the heavy financial burden that expansion would impose.

Despite notable progress in tax collection, the Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) continues to face a severe cash crunch, struggling even to clear pending bills for ongoing development works.

This financial strain has raised doubts about the feasibility of extending the city’s limits at a time when it is already grappling with infrastructure bottlenecks and service delivery issues.

Resources stretched

Had the proposal been implemented, several newly developed layouts beyond the current limits would have come under the MCC’s jurisdiction. Extending basic amenities such as water supply, roads, sanitation, and waste management to these areas would have required thousands of crores of rupees in additional expenditure.

Moreover, the Corporation would have needed to recruit more staff and civic workers to handle the expanded administrative and service responsibilities.

Leaders have also pointed out that once new areas are incorporated, residents typically begin approaching the MCC with complaints and requests for civic amenities — demands the Corporation may struggle to meet without adequate financial support. In view of these constraints, several Congress leaders have reportedly urged the CM to defer or drop the expansion proposal altogether.

Adding to the political complexity, analysts note that the JD(S) holds considerable influence in the Chamundeshwari Constituency, one of the regions that would have been absorbed into the expanded city limits — a factor that may also have contributed to the Government’s decision to shelve the plan.

Shelving of Greater Mysuru draws flak from leaders

The move to shelve Greater Mysuru City Corporation is an unfortunate development for Mysuru. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah remembers his hometown, Mysuru, only during elections. Normally, a Chief Minister ensures remarkable development in his home district — we have seen many CMs doing it. Unfortunately, Siddaramaiah seems uninterested in this. Sadly, even the Mysuru City Corporation elections have not been conducted as per mandate, and there are no elected representatives. As a result, all the funds sanctioned under the 15th Finance Commission are being returned. It is a huge setback, and the Mysuru City Corporation has no money to take up any development works. This is a sad state for Mysuru.

 —Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar, Mysuru-Kodagu MP

The State Government has not yet conducted elections to the Mysuru City Corporation, and I have no idea why CM Siddaramaiah is showing no interest in Mysuru’s development. Unless elections are held, there is no possibility of funding sanction, either from the Centre or the State. Sadly, the CM has no vision for his home district.

—T.S. Srivatsa, Krishnaraja (KR) MLA

The Greater Mysuru City Corporation would have brought under its purview all residential areas currently under Town Panchayats on the outskirts of Mysuru. The Government had promised to implement it within six months and hold elections to the new body within a year. At present, the Mysuru City Corporation provides basic amenities to several areas beyond the Outer Ring Road, even though they are not officially within its limits. CM Siddaramaiah will take a call on Greater Mysuru, and I have faith in him, as he knows the condition of these areas. Two meetings have already been held with the CM involving the Mysuru Development Authority, City Municipal Councils and Gram Panchayats. The Greater Mysuru plan will benefit a large section of the population.

—G.T. Devegowda, Chamundeshwari MLA

The proposal for Greater Mysuru was first mooted by BJP and in 2020, an action plan was prepared to expand the 65-Ward Mysuru City Corporation. Now is the ideal time for Greater Mysuru, as the city is growing by leaps and bounds. The plan was envisioned keeping in mind Mysuru’s growth over the next 20 years, alongside major projects like Namma Mysuru Metro and the Peripheral Ring Road. Urban Development Minister Byrathi Suresh has, however, placed several roadblocks in the way of this plan. He even summoned Mysuru officers to Bengaluru and explicitly instructed them not to go ahead with the Greater Mysuru proposal. This is an unfortunate development. It was an ambitious project and the very Government that should be developing cities has poured cold water on it, that too in CM Siddaramaiah’s home district.

—Prathap Simha, former MP