Times of India 20.07.2009
MCC hopes to revive dying lake
MYSORE: The historical Doddakere could be revived, if the Mysore City Corporation has its way.
The civic body, which is planning to adopt the public-private partnership model to maintain Mysore's brand value as the heritage city, could preserve the sanctity of the lake if its plans get through. Owing to lack of funds, the civic body has not been able to maintain the monuments of historical significance. Be it the Curzon Park, Nishat Bagh or People's Park, the MCC is waiting for government funds to give them a facelift.
While Curzon Park abutting the Mysore Palace Fort and the Nishat Bagh with glass-topped bandstand are revived under Rs 100-crore special grants from CM B S Yeddyurappa, the Gopura Garden which is the last link to the famed Doddakere is waiting for its rejuvenation.
The MCC in 2001 moved in to protect the site marking the boundary and developing it as a park naming it as Gopura Garden. Eight years down the line, it has degraded owing to lack of maintenance. There are no guards to protect its sanctity either and the site has everything yet lost its verve. Why? The MCC has some 100 staff to maintain 218 parks attached to it.
The MCC Council is going in detail the proposal to develop and maintain parks in the city under the PPP model. The civic body has 218 parks in its control and is getting 442 parks developed in new layouts by Mysore Urban Development Authority (MUDA).
The Gopura Garden links Mysore to one of its oldest water holes, which jazzed up the surroundings in the central part of the royal city when it was still a small town. A vandalized gopura at the site stands as a mute spectator to the happenings around while cattle grazing at the open space holds mirror to its maintenance.
Devaraja Lake, popularly known as Doddakere, was one of biggest lakes in the city that was a value addition to Mysore Palace. It was a source of water for inhabitants around. Located to the east of the Mysore Fort, it was in use some 100 years ago. Surrounded by open space mainly used by rulers of Mysore, the water body was a sight to behold. In its surroundings were Summer Palace, Vasanth Mahal, Palace stables, which is now KSRP HQ, and Karanji Mansion, the villa of sister of Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar.
While Curzon Park abutting the Mysore Palace Fort and the Nishat Bagh with glass-topped bandstand are revived under Rs 100-crore special grants from CM B S Yeddyurappa, the Gopura Garden which is the last link to the famed Doddakere is waiting for its rejuvenation.
The MCC in 2001 moved in to protect the site marking the boundary and developing it as a park naming it as Gopura Garden. Eight years down the line, it has degraded owing to lack of maintenance. There are no guards to protect its sanctity either and the site has everything yet lost its verve. Why? The MCC has some 100 staff to maintain 218 parks attached to it.
The MCC Council is going in detail the proposal to develop and maintain parks in the city under the PPP model. The civic body has 218 parks in its control and is getting 442 parks developed in new layouts by Mysore Urban Development Authority (MUDA).
The Gopura Garden links Mysore to one of its oldest water holes, which jazzed up the surroundings in the central part of the royal city when it was still a small town. A vandalized gopura at the site stands as a mute spectator to the happenings around while cattle grazing at the open space holds mirror to its maintenance.
Devaraja Lake, popularly known as Doddakere, was one of biggest lakes in the city that was a value addition to Mysore Palace. It was a source of water for inhabitants around. Located to the east of the Mysore Fort, it was in use some 100 years ago. Surrounded by open space mainly used by rulers of Mysore, the water body was a sight to behold. In its surroundings were Summer Palace, Vasanth Mahal, Palace stables, which is now KSRP HQ, and Karanji Mansion, the villa of sister of Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar.
