Govt. notifies Mysuru Development Authority formation; Fewer netas, more babus

Bengaluru / Mysuru: Nearly five months after the Karnataka Legislative Assembly passed the Mysuru Development Authority (MDA) Bill — modelled after the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) Act — the State Government on May 14 issued a notification implementing the MDA, formally replacing the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA).

The notification paves the way for the establishment of the Mysuru Development Authority for the Mysuru Local Planning Area.

The existing MUDA will be phased out, making way for a new Authority with limited representation from elected Legislators and greater control vested in senior   Government officers and field experts.

Under the new structure, the Mysuru Development Authority (MDA) will be headed by a Chairperson and comprise various members. Unlike MUDA, which currently includes all Mysuru MLAs and MLCs as Board members,  MDA will have only two legislators while the rest will be officers and technical experts.

The MDA intends to modernise the city’s planning system to address its evolving needs as it approaches metropolitan status.  As per the 2011 census, Mysuru city had a population of 8,93,062, while the Mysuru Local Planning Area recorded 16,96,577. With rapid expansion, budgets and operations have grown significantly, bringing complex challenges due to large-scale developments.

Chairperson and members

According to the notification, the MDA will include: A Chairperson appointed by the State Government, chosen for their experience in architecture; a Finance Member with expertise in accounting and auditing; an engineer of at least Chief Engineer rank in the Karnataka Engineering Service or a Government-owned or controlled undertaking; a Town Planner with a degree in urban and rural planning, ranked at least as Deputy Director in the Department of Urban and                                        Rural Planning.

The Authority will have an architect with professional experience in the field; Commissioner of the Mysuru City Corporation (ex-officio); an officer from the Karnataka Government Secretariat in the Urban Development Department of at least Deputy Secretary rank (ex-officio); Commissioner of the Mysuru Development Authority (ex-officio); Secretary of the Authority (ex-officio).

It will also comprise four other individuals appointed by the Government, including at least one woman and one person from the Scheduled Castes or Scheduled Tribes and representatives from the Karnataka Urban Water Supply and Drainage Board and the electricity supply company (Chamundeshwari Electricity Supply Corporation) serving the Mysuru Local Planning Area.

The MDA Commissioner will be appointed from among officers of the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), or from the senior cadre of the Karnataka Administrative Service (KAS) or above. The Secretary of the Authority will also be appointed from at least the senior cadre of the KAS.

Heritage Building Conservation Commission

In a significant step towards cultural conservation, the notification mandates that the Mysuru Development Authority must establish the Mysuru Heritage Building Conservation Commission.

This Commission will be created through a Government notification and will function within the MDA’s jurisdiction. It will be chaired by a Government-appointed individual and comprise members from diverse fields, including visual arts, architecture, Indian history, archaeology and environmental science.

The Commission will be responsible for advising the government on matters concerning urban design, the restoration and preservation of developed areas, and the conservation of historic sites and properties of exceptional natural beauty.

It will also make recommendations regarding the acquisition of such properties, methods of compensation and the provision of grants, subsidies and other financial incentives for conservation efforts.

Importantly, the notification also places restrictions on the Karnataka Housing Board, which will not be allowed to undertake any housing projects within the jurisdiction of the MDA unless they align with layout plans approved by the Authority.

However, projects that were already initiated before the formation of the MDA may proceed as planned and will be implemented accordingly.

Powers and responsibilities

• The Mysuru Development Authority (MDA) will oversee the development of the Mysuru Local Planning Area, including acquiring, managing, and disposing of properties.
• It will be responsible for developing layouts, constructing roads, installing streetlights, ensuring cleanliness, providing underground drainage and water supply systems.
• Sites without these basic amenities cannot be sold or leased for housing.

Private layout regulations

• Private layouts must secure MDA approval.
• Layouts within the MCC’s jurisdiction require the Corporation’s consent before MDA approval.

Name board to be changed soon

The Mysuru Development Authority (MDA) has officially come into effect and we will accordingly update the MUDA board to reflect the new MDA structure. A temporary name board will be installed this afternoon, followed by a permanent name board later. Henceforth, all communications, transactions, files and related documentation will be processed under the name of MDA. We will fully comply with the Government’s directives as outlined in the notification and the entire functioning of the Authority will undergo a significant transformation.

— Prasanna Kumar, MUDA Secretary