Mysuru: Maj. Gen. S.G. Vombatkere, who was recently reappointed as a member of the Mysuru Heritage Region Development and Protection Committee, has urged the Assistant Executive Engineer, National Highways Sub-Division, not to commence the project work of straightening the Hunsur Road before consideration of the matter by the Heritage Committee.

In a letter to the Deputy Director, Department of Archaeology, Museums and Heritage, he has stated, “Regardless of public opinion concerning traffic accidents, it is clear that the project will irreparably damage Mysuru’s priceless heritage ambience of this area.”

According to Maj. Gen. Vombatkere, the project envisages acquiring land on the north side of the Hunsur Road including the roadside avenue trees which are over 100-years-old and land from the precincts of Deputy Commissioner’s residence and Jaladarshini Guest House.

He has pointed out that “Jaladarshini Group of buildings,” listed under Heritage Building Group dates back to 1894, consists of Jaladarshini Guest House, Deputy Commissioner’s residence & Regional Commissioner’s Office, and the compounds of these heritage buildings are heritage precincts integral to the buildings.

“This priceless heritage of Mysuru will be irreparably destroyed if the road-straightening project (named as “Improvement to Curve in the Black Spot of NH275 in Mysore City limit in Front of Jaladarshini Guest House (Job No. CRF-KNT-2016-17-1640 dated 02.11.2016)”, is executed,” said Maj. Gen. Vombatkere.

It may be recalled that nearly 1,000 members had formed a human chain on the 450 mts stretch of Hunsur Road on Oct. 22 urging to protect the roadside trees and heritage ambience.