Mysore builders think of vertical growth

With land prices skyrocketing and land owners resisting acquisition of lands, it is time for Mysore to think in terms of vertical growth. The fact that land has become scarce around the city, for either industry or for housing projects, has added strength to this thinking.

It is not just the builders, who are venturing into realty activity in large numbers, but also the Mysore Urban Development Authority (MUDA) who have to plan their future housing projects in the vertical direction.

The land prices are anywhere between Rs 25-40 lakh per acre around the city. While the farmers' body has been protesting against farmland acquisition, demanding a better deal for land-losing farmers inclusive of market price.

Arguing in favour of vertical growth of Mysore, Builders' Association of India Mysore centre chief K Sriram says, "We have a lesson to learn from the experience of Bangalore. Bangalore's horizontal growth has been enormous. It has become an urban morass."

Even after this unmanageable situation, the Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) continues to undertake site-formation projects, with proposals to acquire lands for layouts. In Mysore too, the MUDA has proposed the acquisition of 18,000 acres for layout formations.

"Such developments will make it a nightmare for the people with facilities worsening," he warns.

"Unlike Bangalore, Mysore has a good urban infrastructure. Around 90 per cent of the population gets a minimum three hours of water supply, and 60 per cent of the houses are connected to drainage system, 90 per cent of the roads are tarred and, the law and order situation is excellent," he says.

With the heritage city status and being a leading tourist city, the builder says, "We have to be careful as to not repeat the mistakes done by the local and urban planners elsewhere. Future planning should be holistic."

"There should be a paradigm shift in our thinking and planning. We should go for high-density tenements on 200-acre area with a green buffer. Urban developers should get out of plotted developments and go in for high-rise buildings. It will save land, cost and material, and relieve the pressure on infrastructure," says Sriram, refuting the criticism of some NGOs against high-rise apartments, and citing examples of Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and other cities that have gone in for group apartments.

"We should think futuristically. We should build a contemporary world-class city. For this sustained development, we should draw up a blueprint from now on. We must also ensure that tall structures are some 2-3 kms away from the palace," adds another builder N B Nagakumar.

Endorsing their views, CII, Mysore Zone's former chairman P K Talpade says, Mysore city's high growth is already visible. Its future planning should be done carefully to protect its heritage and promote industries. It should be a healthy mix of the two.