Mysuru: The Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) Council meeting, chaired by Mayor Pushpalatha Jagganath, yesterday gave its nod to call for tender for the widening and development of Irwin Road from Government Ayurveda Hospital Circle to Kalamma Temple at a cost of Rs.2.32 crore. 

Earlier, Corporator Satish, who spoke, said that the works pertaining to demolition of buildings were going on since eight months and questioned, if just one building is demolished per day, when will the works be completed. It was said that the works would be completed before Dasara, but looking at the pace the works are going on, there is no hope that the works would be completed in time, regretted many Corporators.

Replying to this, MCC Officials said that the works pertaining to widening of Irwin Road by 18 mts, four-laning of the road, drains on either side, laying of new UGD pipeline, installation of road dividers, and other developmental works were going on for which 84 buildings have to be demolished and added that 52 buildings that are to be demolished are pending. They further said that the demolition works are being carried out in phases along with payment of the compensation amount to the owners. As owners of a few properties including Anjaneyaswamy Temple and a Mosque have moved Court, the works are being delayed, the MCC Officials added.

Former Mayor Ayub Khan, who spoke, said that there are two properties belonging to the Wakf Board and they have asked for a building instead of compensation amount. Replying to it, Arif Hussain said that there is no provision to sell properties of Wakf Board. If they are provided with an alternate building, they would not object for the demolition, he added. He suggested the Mayor and MCC Commissioner to meet MLA Tanveer Sait, who is also the Member of the Wakf Board and solve the issue.

Replying to Arif Hussain, MCC Commissioner Gurudatta Hegde said that efforts would be taken to identify an alternate building and assured to solve all problems related to the widening and development of Irwin Road in a week with the co-operation of the DC.

Speaking on the occasion, Corporator Shivakumar asked the MCC Officials not to develop the road in the old way but develop it by increasing the heritage beauty of the city. He asked the officials to construct cable ducts on the side of the road so that cables could be laid there without digging the roads in future and added that modern smart poles be installed and also water absorbing road be laid.

It may be recalled that though the widening proposal was conceived in 2015, only a portion of the stretch — Railway Station to Ayurveda College Circle — has been widened. The MCC has fixed compensation at Rs.13,072 per sqft, excluding the value of the building. For this, Rs.37 crore has been earmarked. Rs.25 crore has already been disbursed as compensation for building owners.