Urban Development Minister chairs meeting in Bengaluru; asks officials to prepare detailed report

Mysuru: The proposal for the formation of a ‘Greater Mysuru City Corporation’ has come to the fore again with Urban Development Minister Byrathi Suresh directing Mysuru Deputy Commissioner G. Lakshmikanth Reddy and Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) Commissioner Shaikh Tanveer Asif to prepare a detailed report along with necessary data.

At a meeting held yesterday at Vidhana Soudha in Bengaluru, the Minister discussed the expansion plan, which involves merging surrounding local bodies into the MCC. With Mysuru’s rapid horizontal expansion, residential areas beyond the Outer Ring Road (ORR) have seen significant growth, necessitating better urban planning and governance.

As per the earlier proposal, around 30 villages surrounding Mysuru will be included in the ‘Greater Mysuru City Corporation’. The Minister instructed

officials to secure approval from local governing bodies — including Gram Panchayats, Town Panchayats and City Municipal Councils — before submitting a formal proposal to the Government.

Citing the Ward delimitation exercise conducted in 2018, the Government is now considering integrating nearby local bodies into the MCC for planned urban development. The Minister also asked officials to draft a comprehensive project report encompassing the 30 villages. “Let’s meet Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and present the necessary details,” he told the officials.

Population and infrastructure expansion

Currently, the MCC comprises 65 Wards with a population of 13.3 lakh. The proposed expansion will increase the population to 16.8 lakh by incorporating outer areas.

Many private and revenue layouts surrounding Mysuru are already receiving basic amenities such as drinking water, sanitation and underground drainage from the MCC. However, residents are demanding a more comprehensive approach, including road infrastructure, street lighting and parks, the DC informed the Minister.

Expanding the MCC to include these areas will enable better service delivery and urban planning. The proposal includes merging Hootagalli City Municipal Council (CMC), Town Panchayats of Bogadi, Srirampura, Rammanahalli and Kadakola, as well as Yelwal village under Yelwal Gram Panchayat, Siddalingapura under Siddalingapura GP, Chamundi Betta GP, Alanahalli GP and Shyadanahalli GP.

Officials informed the meeting that several local bodies have already approved the proposal in their Council meetings. The Minister directed the remaining local bodies to expedite the approval process and submit their resolutions to the Government.

Minister Byrathi Suresh assured that there would be no hurdles in forming the ‘Greater Mysuru City Corporation.’ He also dismissed concerns regarding drinking water and infrastructure, stating that the MCC is already supplying water to several areas on its periphery. With new localities emerging close to MCC limits, the MCC can extend its services seamlessly.

The meeting was attended by Urban Development Secretary Deepa Cholan, Karnataka Urban Infrastructure Development and Finance Corporation (KUIDFC) Managing Director B. Sharath, Karnataka Urban Water Supply and Drainage Board (KUWS&DB) Managing Director R. Selva Mani, Urban Development Authorities and Town and Country Planning Commissioner R. Venkatachalapathi, MCC Commissioner Shaikh Tanveer Asif, MUDA Commissioner A.N. Raghunandan and Director of Town and Country Planning Department N.K. Tippeswamy, among other officials.

GTD’s push gains momentum

The proposal for the formation of a ‘Greater Mysuru City Corporation’ has gained renewed attention, largely due to the persistent efforts of Chamundeshwari MLA G.T. Devegowda (GTD).

For years, Mysuru city and its outskirts have struggled with inadequate basic amenities. Aware of the residents’ plight, GTD has been a vocal advocate for the expansion, stressing the need to integrate surrounding villages and developed areas into a unified administrative framework.

Leveraging every opportunity, he has consistently urged Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to take action. Now, with his sustained push, the long-pending proposal for ‘Greater Mysuru City Corporation’ has resurfaced, and it appears that GTD’s perseverance is on the verge of yielding results.

‘Process underway’

Following the State Government’s directive to draft a detailed proposal for the formation of Greater Mysuru City Corporation, the process is now underway. The Regional Commissioner, who serves as MCC Administrative Officer, will soon convene a meeting with the Chief Executive Officers of local governing bodies — including Gram Panchayats, Town Panchayats and City Municipal Councils — to collect documents and data necessary for their inclusion in MCC. Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) that have yet to approve the proposal to join the Greater Mysuru City Corporation must expedite the process. These procedures will be completed at the earliest and the final proposal will be submitted to the Government.

— Shaikh Tanveer Asif, MCC Commissioner