MUDA overlooked procedures related to three acres of land in Survey No. 115, say residents

By Mohan Kayaka

Mysore/Mysuru: A blunder by the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) has placed the residents of Rabindranath Tagore (R.T.) Nagar ‘A’ Zone, Outer Ring Road (ORR), in a difficult situation. Despite the satisfaction of constructing their own houses, they are distressed due to the absence of essential amenities necessary for a peaceful living.

The R.T. Nagar, comprising  A, B, C and D Zones, developed by MUDA, encompasses over 150 sites in the ‘A’ zone alone, with some residents having already constructed their houses.

However, they find themselves without basic amenities such as electricity, drinking water and underground drainage (UGD), attributing this shortfall to a significant mistake made by MUDA. The gravity of this error has left them in a predicament with no immediate solution in sight.

During the land acquisition phase preceding the development of R.T. Nagar, MUDA is alleged to have overlooked proper procedures related to three acres of land in Survey No. 115. The landowner, Chikkavanu, took the matter to Court, and the Judge of the Fourth Additional and Sessions Court in the Mysuru district ruled in his favour. Consequently, the site owners are now enduring the consequences, with those who built houses with hopeful aspirations facing an   uncertain future.

Although drinking water pipes have been laid, they remain unused, mirroring the situation with electricity and UGD lines. The connecting lines are pending due to the necessity of passing through the disputed land in Survey No. 115. The only viable resolution lies in Chikkavanu providing consent to MUDA for the acquisition of his land.

 Surprisingly, even officials from Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) have maintained a distant stance, failing to explore alternative solutions. Despite the residents submitting numerous memorandums, they express dissatisfaction at the lack of a positive response from MUDA. Residents R.K. Nanjunda Swamy, K.U. Thimmaiah, K.S. Girish, Dr. K. Satish, S.J. Lakshman and Adi Narayan voiced their grievances to SOM.

As mentioned earlier, MUDA officials faltered during the acquisition stage by proceeding without consulting the landowner. Blaming MUDA for this lapse, the residents find themselves on the precipice of uncertainty, having invested significant sums in building their houses.

The ‘A’ Zone in question features 15 crossroads. However, once darkness falls, residents are hesitant to step outside due to the lack of adequate lighting. The area is further plagued by overgrown weeds and shrubs, and the menace of reptiles adds to the overall sense of fear among the inhabitants.

No action so far

The absence of basic amenities in R.T. Nagar ‘A’ Zone is exacerbated by the presence of an agricultural field in the middle of the area. Despite submitting memoranda to Mysuru-Kodagu MP Pratap Simmha, MLA G.T. Devegowda and the MUDA Executive Engineer, the residents are yet to see tangible action. While these officials have inspected the site and pledged to take action, no significant progress has been made. The residents are also contending with the challenge of waste management, leading to piles of garbage strewn across the roads. —N. Rajesh, President of Rabindranath Tagore Nagar Residents Welfare Association

In a rather peculiar turn of events during the land acquisition process, MUDA officials summoned me to present land records. Despite complying with their request and providing all necessary records, they questioned my identity. Subsequently, MUDA proceeded with the land acquisition and layout development. In response, I took the matter to Court, challenging MUDA’s actions, and I succeeded in reclaiming ownership of the land. This year, I have utilised the land for cultivating ragi and huruli (horse gram), marking a positive outcome in the face of the earlier legal dispute with MUDA. —Chikkavanu, landowner