Pramoda Devi Wadiyar moves Court against Centre’s project supervised by her son MP Yaduveer Wadiyar !

Mysore/Mysuru: The Karnataka High Court has ordered status quo on the land allotted for the proposed Unity Mall at the Mysuru Dasara Exhibition Grounds (Doddakere Maidan), effectively bringing construction to a halt.

The order was passed on Nov. 28 after Pramoda Devi Wadiyar of the erstwhile Mysore royal family filed a petition asserting ownership over the land. Following the petition, the Court directed the State Department of Industries and Commerce to maintain the status quo until further orders. The Unity Mall — envisioned on the lines of Delhi’s Dilli Haat — is planned on 6.5 acres of land within Survey Number 1, Mysuru Kasba Hobli, part of the Karnataka Exhibition Authority (KEA) Grounds.

The project, worth Rs. 193 crore, was proposed to be taken up under the Public Private Partnership (PPP) model, which is a Central Government initiative aimed at creating a dedicated marketplace for handicrafts, GI-tagged products, sandalwood, inlay works and other cultural artefacts from the Mysuru region.

The petition comes months after Pramoda Devi’s son, Mysuru-Kodagu MP Yaduveer Wadiyar, inspected the project on July 28, 2025.

Of the 80-acre Expo Grounds, 6.05 acres had been transferred by the State Government to Industries and Commerce Department for Unity Mall project.

Construction had commenced soon after bhoomi puja but Pramoda Devi Wadiyar has now claimed that the Kurubarahalli Survey Number 1 and Garikemala Survey Number 1 land — totalling 6.5 acres — are part of the royal family’s hereditary property.

She pointed out that earlier Court rulings had recognised ownership of certain survey numbers in the same area as belonging to the royal family.

After hearing the plea, the High Court ordered status quo, bringing all construction activity to an immediate halt.

Following the order, the worksite now lies abandoned — heaps of mud, iron railings, pillar materials and M-sand scattered across the ground. The temporary office set up for the Unity Mall tender holders has been locked, leaving the entire area wearing a deserted look.

‘Unfortunate halt to a unique project’

The Unity Mall tender-holders have stopped all work following the High Court stay. The project had commenced only after the State Cabinet’s approval. Interestingly, the Karnataka Exhibition Authority  (KEA) has not been made a party to the petition, while the Department of Industries and Commerce has been named as one of the respondents. The Wadiyars of Mysore have played a pivotal role in the region’s development and the Unity Mall is a continuation of that vision — a project that promotes growth and uplifts local art. Stalling such a unique initiative is unfortunate. Court cases often stretch on for years and the Unity Mall now risks becoming yet another addition to Mysuru’s long list of land disputes.”

— Ayub Khan, Chairman, Karnataka Exhibition Authority

‘We will get the stay vacated’

The High Court order will be fully complied with. All necessary documents will be submitted and steps will be taken to have the stay vacated. The entire 80-acre property is Government-owned and has been sub-leased to the Karnataka Exhibition Authority. Out of this, 6.5 acres have been officially handed over to the Department of Industries and Commerce for constructing the Unity Mall.

    The State Government is the legal owner of the land and we have the documents to establish this. The question of the 80-acre area being private property simply does not arise. We will place all land records before the High Court at the next hearing and ensure the stay is lifted.

—G. Lakshmikanth Reddy, Deputy Commissioner