Mysuru Takes First Steps Toward Greater City Corporation Formation
The Karnataka state government has officially begun the process to create the Greater Mysuru City Corporation. A recent gazette notification confirms this move, which will significantly expand the city's administrative boundaries.
Massive Expansion Planned
The proposed Greater Mysuru City Corporation will cover a substantial 341.4 square kilometers. This represents a major increase from the current Mysuru City Corporation area of just 86.3 square kilometers. The current corporation serves an estimated population of 11.4 lakh people.
Officials have provided one month for the submission of objections regarding this expansion plan. Earlier claims suggested the formation would create a grade-1 corporation through boundary expansion, and the gazette notification now demonstrates the government's clear intention to proceed.
Experts Demand Concrete Development Roadmap
Residents and urban planning experts have raised immediate concerns about the lack of detailed planning accompanying this expansion. They strongly demand that the government present at least a 10-year roadmap for city development. Without such planning, Mysuru risks experiencing chaotic growth patterns similar to those witnessed in BBMP areas.
Town planner Abhilash HS identified the notification's biggest weakness as its failure to outline post-formation development details. He described the current document as resembling a routine bureaucratic exercise rather than a comprehensive plan.
"The state government must clearly present an action plan covering funding, basic infrastructure like water supply and road networks, and other essential civic amenities," Abhilash emphasized. "Most villages proposed for inclusion currently lack even basic infrastructure."
He urged authorities to present a concrete growth plan within the stipulated objection period instead of issuing what he called a vague draft notification.
Mixed Reactions from Community Leaders
Activist Bhamy V Shenoy acknowledged that the Greater Mysuru City Corporation represents a good idea in principle. However, he expressed concerns about potential failure during execution due to existing bureaucratic and political factors.
"The project will succeed only if the state government appoints a competent administrator," Shenoy stated. He added that boundary expansion could enable scientific urban planning, regulated development, and better control over unplanned growth, particularly in surrounding panchayats and the Chamundi Hills area.
KPCC spokesperson M Lakshmana offered a more optimistic perspective, assuring that the state government would undertake all required developmental works in a phased manner.
"The government remains fully committed to forming the Greater Mysuru City Corporation," Lakshmana said. "Issues related to funding and infrastructure will receive proper attention at the appropriate time."
The coming weeks will reveal how the government addresses these concerns as Mysuru prepares for its most significant administrative transformation in recent history.
