Sir,

This refers to the recent news about the proposal to relocate the Sub-Urban Bus Stand to Bannimantap. I would like to share my views, along with a letter I wrote in December 2023 when plans for upgrading the Railway Station were under discussion.

In my opinion, shifting the Sub-Urban Bus Stand to Bannimantap is an excellent idea, particularly if the Yadavagiri goods terminus is re-purposed for trains terminating at Mysuru. Linking the Sub-Urban Bus Stand and the Yadavagiri Railway Station could create an efficient inter-modal transport hub.

The periphery of the Bannimantap Stadium could be utilised for parking, craft stalls and food courts, while banning parking along the main road. Hotels in the area could leverage parking facilities at the renovated KSRTC site, easing traffic congestion.

The stadium itself could serve multiple purposes — early morning yoga sessions, sports and athletic training, and an evening cultural extravaganza showcasing Karnataka’s heritage, crafts, and cuisine, presented on a ticketed basis. This concept, akin to Thailand’s Kantoke, could become a major tourist attraction.

The current Sub-Urban bus stand could be repurposed as the City Bus Stand and collocated with the private bus stand. This would reduce congestion on the main road and create space at the current city bus terminus for a much-needed vertical car park. Shop owners in the area could pool resources to provide free electric vehicle shuttles to and from this parking facility.

KSRTC could adopt a hub-and-spoke model, establishing smaller termini along the Ring Road, with seamless connections to city and suburban centres. Addressing these initiatives collectively — Devaraja Market, Lansdowne Complex, parking, the Sub-Urban bus terminus, year-round use of Bannimantap Stadium, and reducing city centre congestion — would result in a more liveable Mysuru.

Star of Mysore could take a pioneering role by facilitating a workshop that brings together diverse stakeholders to develop viable, implementable solutions for these interconnected challenges.

– Prem Subramaniam, Mysuru, 2.12.2024

You can also mail us your views, opinions, and stories to [email protected]