MDA sent land use change proposal despite denial
Private parties seek conversion of 15.3 acres of land; MDA sends to Govt. for approval
Mysuru: Despite the Mysuru Development Authority (MDA) Commissioner earlier stating that no proposal had been submitted to the State Government to convert ‘Special Agricultural Zone’ land for residential use at the foot of Chamundi Hill, documents now indicate that such a proposal has, in fact, been forwarded to the Government for approval.
MDA Commissioner K.R. Rakshith had maintained that no land use conversion proposal had been sent. However, records accessed by Star of Mysore show that, based on requests from private land owners, the MDA submitted a proposal in January to the Directorate of Town and Country Planning, seeking approval to change land use in Survey Numbers 35, 36, 37, 47 and 75 of Kurubarahalli village.
The proposal references petitions filed by Ruby Peter and Rani Peter on Oct. 11, 2023, a Government order dated Jan. 12, 2016, and subsequent petitions by J. Bapuji and B. Deepak Kumar on July 16, 2025, along with Resolution No. 346 of the MDA Board meeting, which are the documents cited in support of the requested conversion.
15 acres and 3 guntas of land
As per the submission, portions of land across the five survey numbers, totalling 15 acres and 3 guntas, have been sought for conversion from a ‘Special Agricultural Zone’ to a commercial zone under the approved Master Plan to residential and commercial use.
In its proposal, the Authority noted that the land was surrounded on three sides by residential areas hence, can be considered for conversion at the MDA Board meeting.
KTCP Act, 1961
In accordance with Section 14(A) of the Karnataka Town and Country Planning Act, 1961, a public notification inviting objections was issued in the newspapers, but no responses were received within the stipulated period, the proposal stated.
Subsequently, on behalf of J. Bapuji and Harekrishna Shelters Pvt. Ltd., Managing Director B. Deepak Kumar, son of Bhavarlal Kothari, submitted a petition stating that they had purchased the land previously owned by Ruby Peter and Rani Peter.
They requested that the earlier application for land use conversion be continued and that the land conversion be granted in the names of the present owners, submitting the necessary supporting documents.
Before the MDA Board
The MDA kept this proposal before the MDA Board and stated that the land was surrounded by residential areas so the MDA decided to recommend to the Government that the land be converted from a ‘Special Agricultural Zone’ to a residential zone.
Interestingly K.R. MLA Srivatsa clarified on Feb. 14 that in 2016, under the leadership of then Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, rules were framed prohibiting any change in the Special Agricultural Zone around Chamundi Hill until 2031.
The rule clearly stated that the land other than agriculture can only be used for constructing a ‘single house,’ an orphanage or an educational institution and does not allow conversion for residential layouts. He had said that despite this rule the MDA had sent a recommendation to convert this land for a residential layout which is illegal.
Give officials free hand to act against encroachments: MLA
Mysuru, Feb. 18 (BLU & BCT)- This is the same land next to which the K.C. Layout Lake was encroached and an attempt was made to add this three-acre Lake to the 15.3-acre land, which has been sent for conversion approval. Krishnaraja MLA T.S. Srivatsa has called for stringent legal action against those who encroached upon this lake as an example to others who dare to encroach government lakes and land.
Addressing a press conference on Monday at the lake where the encroachment was cleared, he demanded that Tahsildar K.M. Mahesh Kumar file a police case against the encroachers within 24 hours.
“The State Government must give officials a free hand to act against such illegalities. Often, officers turn a blind eye to encroachments on Government land due to pressure from elected representatives. If allowed to function they can perform their duties promptly, as seen in this case,” he said.
There is no illegality: MDA Commr.
Mysuru, Feb. 18- MDA Commissioner K.R. Rakshith said “The 15 acres and 3 guntas of land proposed for conversion to residential use has been sent to Government for approval only after confirming that it lies 100 metres beyond ‘No Development Zone’ and the ‘Special Agricultural Zone’ at foot of Chamundi Hill. The proposal has been processed under Section 14(A) of Karnataka Town and Country Planning Act, 1961 and approved by MDA Board.
There is no illegality here. A proposal cannot even be placed before MDA Board unless the land is confirmed to be beyond ‘Special Agricultural Zone’ and ‘No Development Zone’ limits.”
Who is right & who is lying?
Caption: Pic. 1: Above map shows the land in question marked as Special Agricultural Zone. Pic. 2: MDA map’s key markings and symbol clearly indicate the green area with black lines is Special Agricultural Zone. Pic. 3: MDA map indicates the land in question as ‘Zero Developable Area’.
While the MLA says nothing can be built other than one house, an orphanage or an educational institution on Special Agricultural Zone till 2031, the MDA Commissioner has stated that the land in question is not in Special Agricultural Zone but ‘beyond’ it. However, the MDA map shows that this land itself is in Special Agricultural Zone!
This post was published on February 18, 2026 6:30 pm