The hurdles towards widening Irwin Road in the city appear to be clearing up with the civic authorities claiming that they had managed to convince a majority of the residents to part with the land required for the project.
After an inspection of the road by the civic authorities on Friday, Mayor M.J. Ravi Kumar said the Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) was hopeful of starting work on widening the road and easing the flow of traffic in the Central Business District.
During the inspection, Mr. Ravi Kumar, MCC Commissioner G. Jagadeesh, local councillors N. Shivanna and Rajalakshmi, and other MCC officials, interacted with the residents. More than 60 to 65 of the total 85 residents and traders who have property on the road had agreed to the compensation of Rs. 13,177 per sq feet offered by the government.
At a meeting chaired by Deputy Commissioner D. Randeep last week, a compensation of Rs. 13,177 per sq feet was offered and most of the residents had agreed to hand over their land. The management of a mosque as well as a temple situated on the road too had agreed to part with the land required for the road widening project, Mr. Ravi Kumar told The Hindu.
“We need about 75 per cent of the residents to agree and I am hopeful that the required number will sign the approval letter and pave the way for us to start the road widening project,” he said.
Mr. Jagadeesh said the government had sanctioned Rs. 14 crore for compensation, but the revised offer will take the amount required for compensation to almost Rs. 40 crore. If the compensation to be paid for buildings is taken into account, the total amount will be Rs. 45 crore.
After 75 per cent of the land losers give their approval, the authorities will have to write to the government and seek sanction for the remainder of the funds required for compensation. An amount of Rs 2.75 crore for widening the road from the existing 9-11 metres to 18 metres had already been sanctioned. The widening will be taken up from Nehru Circle, where the General Post Office is situated, to Ayurvedic College Circle, a distance of 650 metres, Mr. Jagadeesha said.
Already, the portion of Irwin Road from Arch Gate near the Suburban Bus Stand to Nehru Circle and again from Ayurvedic College Circle to City Railway Station has been widened. “The rest of the Irwin Road will also be widened on the same lines with a footpath and ornamental streetlights,” Mr. Ravi Kumar added.
