Devaraja Mohalla residents stage protest; Mysuru Rakshana Vedike to approach Court

Mysore/Mysuru: The pay and park system approved and re-floated by the Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) Council has kicked up a row again and this time, voluntary organisations and residents have joined hands to oppose the move. They decried the MCC move to re-introduce the system that has met with severe opposition in the past.

The MCC Council on June 9 decided to introduce the system in the city’s Central Business District (CBD) on a trial basis. It proposed to levy parking fees on D. Devaraj Urs Road, Ashoka Road, Sayyaji Rao Road, Vinoba Road, Dhanvantri Road, Sri Harsha Road and the Town Hall premises.

As per the Council decision, for two-wheelers, the initial parking fee for two hours is Rs. 10 and subsequently charged at Rs. 10 per hour. Similarly, for light motor vehicles like cars, the initial two-hour fee is Rs. 30, with an additional Rs. 10 for each subsequent hour.

Opposing the move, the Mysuru Rakshana Vedike held a meeting at the Bisilu Maramma Temple on D. Devaraj Urs Road yesterday and appealed to the MCC to reconsider its decision.

“Mysuru that has already been declared the cleanest city in India needs more toilets that are pay and use. We do not need the pay and park system. The MCC’s grand plan of introducing clean and eco-friendly e-toilets has failed as all the e-toilets set up at various locations after spending crores of rupees have now been sent to scrap yards and the funds have gone down the drain,”                        they said.

The Vedike has decided to protest in case the system is thrust upon the residents of Mysuru and if need be, it will approach the Court of law. The members pointed out that despite more than a decade, the MCC has failed to open the multi-level parking facility at the Town Hall premises.

 “More than 600 vehicles can be parked in this multi-level parking facility and the parking problem on D. Devaraj Urs Road can permanently be addressed. Also, the cellar of the Ambedkar Bhavan near Devaraj Urs Road can also be used for parking. Moreover, the space in Gaadi Chowka can be utilised for parking and the shop owners can be asked to maintain the parking lot, the Vedike members suggested.

Mysuru Rakshana Vedike President My.Ka. Prem Kumar, Secretary Rakesh Bhat, Vice-President Kumar Gowda, Youth Wing President Gururaj Shetty, Deepak, Ravi and leaders R. Paramesh Gowda, Surendra, Devaraj Market Yuva Brigade President B. Sandeep, Srinivas Shetty, Kumar, Krishna Kumar and others  attended the meeting.