Pramoda Devi Wadiyar, a member of the erstwhile royal family of Mysuru, questioned the need for a ropeway to Chamundi Hills given the short distance to the hill top.
Speaking to mediapersons in Mysuru on April 6, Ms. Wadiyar said one could reach the top of Chamundi Hills within 20 minutes, and hence the ropeway project is questionable.
She said devotees and tourists go to Chamundi Hills mainly to visit the Chamundeshwari temple and have a darshan of the deity. People also visit the Mahabaleshwara temple and the Satyanarayana temple. The basic amenities required to cater to pilgrims is sufficient. Even the commercial complex and kiosks being constructed atop Chamundi Hills is unnecessary, she said.
She pointed out that only those who are fit will use the steps to each the hill top, and they do not need railings for support.
Her stance is set to give a boost to activists and environmentalists in Mysuru who have been waging a protracted battle against the ropeway project since decades. The issue gained fresh traction after Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai brought the ropeway out of the backburner.
The steel railings are being justified on the grounds that senior citizens need assistance to climb the hill.
Ms. Wadiyar said that Chamundi Hills should be conserved within the existing framework of the law and various provisions to protect the environment. This is in the context of a call for enacting Chamundi Hills Conservation Act. The call came from citizens at a round table conference on saving Chamundi Hills.
She said there was a small village atop Chamundi Hills till a few years ago, but it seems to resemble a township now, Ideally, only those connected with temple activities should be allowed to reside atop the hill, she said.
On conservation of Devaraja Market and Lansdowne building, she said both are heritage structures and should be conserved. Since there is a difference of opinion on the issue, it is for the government to take a call. In case, it decides to conserve the buildings, the Wadiyar Foundation has the necessary expertise having restored Jaganmohan Palace, she added.
