Protect heritage Krishnaraja Boulevard with iron grills

Sir,

Krishnaraja Boulevard or KR Boulevard is a heritage avenue in Mysuru City. Many heritage structures like the Law Courts, Sri Chamarajendra Urs Boarding School, District Board Office, Oriental Research Institute, Old University Office Building etc., are located on this stretch.

The Road was named after the great King Nalwadi Krishna Raja Wadiyar, who had immensely contributed to Mysore.He was seen by Paul Brunton as living the ideal expressed in Plato’s Republic. He has been compared to Emperor Ashoka by the English Statesman Lord Samuel. Mahatma Gandhi called him Rajarshi, or “saintly king”, and his kingdom was described by his followers as Rama Rajya, an ideal kingdom akin to the rule of Lord Rama.

Acknowledging Krishna Raja Wadiyar IV’s noble and efficient kingship, Lord John Sankey declared in 1930 at the II Round Table Conference in London, “Mysore is the best administered State in the world.”

Recently the glamour Road has been neglected by the civic authorities. Once recognised for its magnificence and maintained regularly with grills protecting the median, the Boulevard has been ignored in recent years.

As the grills guarding the wide medians have been systematically removed over the last few months, there are no lawns; the trees not watered; the Boulevard is unkempt and is now reduced to a parking lot.

When Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) authorities can protect the newly-developed parks in Vishwamanava Double Road in Kuvempunagar, why can’t they protect the heritage Boulevard? The Boulevard spans more than 1-km in length making it one of the more graceful thoroughfares of the city reflecting the glory of old Mysore but the MCC has reportedly turned a blind eye towards the creeping decay. Since this time the Open Street Festival is to be conducted on KR Boulevard, it is high time for the City Corporation authorities to protect the Boulevard with iron grills.