PRASHAD works on Chamundi Hill will not harm heritage or environment, clarifies Mahadevappa

Mysuru district in-charge Minister H.C. Mahadevappa clarified that development works atop Chamundi Hill will be undertaken under the PRASHAD scheme without causing any damage to the hill’s heritage value.

The Minister’s clarification comes amid growing public opposition and criticism from several non-governmental organisations, which have demanded that all development works on the hill be halted to protect its fragile environment and cultural legacy.

Dr. Mahadevappa chaired a meeting at the Zilla Panchayat hall here on January 21 to review the PRASHAD scheme. The meeting was attended by G.T. Deve Gowda, MLA, Deputy Commissioner G. Lakshmikanth Reddy, and senior officials.

“Development works on Chamundi Hill are being carried out in an eco-friendly manner. With a steady increase in the number of devotees visiting the hill, efforts are being made to ensure smooth darshan and provide better facilities without causing inconvenience to devotees,” the Minister stated.

He further added that development activities will be planned in such a way that residents living on Chamundi Hill are not affected. Grievances and suggestions from locals are being collected, and officials have been instructed to incorporate their inputs while preparing development plans, he said.

Mr. Gowda pointed out that VVIP darshan often leads to confusion and inconvenience, as around 50 additional persons are allowed entry at a time during darshan. He stressed the need for a permanent solution to this issue and suggested separate arrangements for entry and exit at the temple. He also said that only those who were earlier eligible to run shops on the hill should be permitted to do so again.

The Deputy Commissioner stated that ₹45.70 crore has been sanctioned under the PRASHAD scheme. To facilitate smooth darshan, a stone queue mandap (queue shelter) is being constructed, with the queue starting near the Mahabaleshwara Temple and merging near the main temple entrance.

Zilla Panchayat CEO S. Yukesh Kumar, Chamundi Hill Development Authority secretary Roopa, and officials from various departments were present.

Meanwhile, opposition to the PRASHAD scheme continues to intensify, with various groups and citizens holding protests demanding that the scheme be dropped. A signature campaign demanding that the project be halted has also been launched.

The Mysore Grahakara Parishat has urged the Deputy Commissioner to draw the State government’s attention to three major concerns. According to the Parishat, prior approval from the Heritage Committee is mandatory, as Chamundi Hill was declared a heritage site in the last Mysuru Master Plan. No such approval has reportedly been obtained. It also claimed that a comprehensive Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) has not been conducted. Further, the Parishat alleged that instead of removing illegal encroachments and promoting Chamundi Hill as a spiritual centre, the current approach appears to be pushing the hill towards becoming a “commercial centre” instead of a “spiritual centre”.