Mysuru Development Authority Grapples with Leadership Vacuum Eight Months After Formation
Eight months after the Mysuru Development Authority (MDA) was established by dissolving the previous Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA), the new urban body remains without a full-time commissioner. This prolonged vacancy has sparked significant concerns regarding administrative efficiency and timely decision-making processes within the authority.
Acting Leadership and Legal Mandate
Formed in May 2025, MDA has been functioning under an acting commissioner, who is a junior-grade Karnataka Administrative Service (KAS) officer, due to the absence of a regular appointment. According to Section 12 of the MDA Act 2024, the government is mandated to appoint an officer of the rank of Indian Administrative Service (IAS) or a senior-scale and above-rank officer of KAS as the commissioner of the authority.
A week after MDA's formation, a special land acquisition officer was appointed as the commissioner in charge. However, since that initial appointment, there has been no official communication or progress regarding the selection of a full-time commissioner, leaving the authority in a state of administrative limbo.
Impact on Operations and Stakeholder Concerns
Officials and various stakeholders have expressed that the lack of a full-time commissioner has severely affected MDA's ability to make timely decisions on critical matters. These include planning approvals, project execution, land-related issues, and coordination with other government departments.
Adish Sagar, a real estate consultant, highlighted that MDA was created following controversies surrounding site allotments under the previous MUDA. "We hoped the new MDA would bring justice to those seeking to acquire sites, but the delay in appointing an IAS-cadre officer as commissioner and the failure to establish a full MDA board indicate that little has changed," he lamented.
Challenges in a Growing City
With Mysuru experiencing steady growth and increasing demand for infrastructure and planned development, the extended absence of a full-time commissioner and an empowered governing body has become a significant setback for the civic authority. This leadership gap threatens to hinder the city's development trajectory and responsiveness to urban challenges.
A local developer pointed out that MDA continues to follow outdated procedures while releasing developed sites, unlike the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA), which conducts regular meetings and processes applications swiftly. The developer noted that MDA has held only two meetings since its inception, failing to deliver on the promised monthly meetings.
Official Response and Current Procedures
MDA's commissioner in charge, K R Rakshith, informed that according to MDA rules, some procedures from the erstwhile MUDA are still being followed by the administration. This continuity of old practices, combined with the leadership vacuum, raises questions about the authority's effectiveness in addressing Mysuru's urban development needs.
The situation underscores the urgent need for the Karnataka government to expedite the appointment of a qualified, full-time commissioner to ensure MDA can fulfill its mandate and support Mysuru's growth in an efficient and transparent manner.
