The old private bus stand at Madikeri in Kodagu is in the news of late, thanks to Star of Mysore Editor-in-Chief K.B. Ganapathy (KBG), who mooted construction of a Public Square at the spot, which is situated in the heart of the hilly town and converted the place into a tourist attraction.

The old private bus stand was constructed in 1936 by the British. The landslides and floods that occurred in August 2018 resulted in a portion of the bus stand collapsing and the entire building was demolished later to avert further accidents.

Following this, KBG, who hails from the district, in his column ‘Choomantra,’ published in Mysooru Mithra, a sister concern of Star of Mysore, on Nov.1, 2018, had suggested construction of a Public Square instead of building a commercial complex on the lines of Trafalgar Square at the centre of London City, in honour of India’s first and one and the only Commander-in-Chief Field Marshal K.M. Cariappa, who too hailed from Kodagu.

Taking note of the suggestions, Tourism Minister S.R. Mahesh, who is also the District in-charge Minister of Kodagu, proposed similar ideas. Though meetings were held in this regard a consensus is yet to be arrived at by the stakeholders concerned and the Madikeri City Municipal Council.

Meanwhile, an ardent SOM reader R. Chandra Prakash, who was on a 22-day tour of 12 countries across Western Europe, has emailed two photos from Madrid, Spain, Bull Fight Arena and suggested a similar Arena in Madikeri Square depicting the history, heritage and valour of Kodavas on the wall of the old bus stand which will add great value for tourism.