The proposed construction of two new flyovers in Mysuru (Mysore), one on Jhansi Rani Lakshmibai (JLB) Road and the other on Vinoba Road (Hunsur Road), has ignited a major controversy, pitting the government’s push for infrastructure development against fierce public and expert resistance over the potential irreversible damage to the city’s meticulously planned heritage character. As a globally recognized “City of Palaces,” Mysuru’s unique identity is defined by its wide, tree-lined boulevards, planned urban design, and the majestic presence of heritage structures radiating from the Mysore Palace.
The proposed elevated structures are planned to address rising traffic congestion, particularly along key bottlenecks, with preliminary work like soil testing already underway. However, critics, including the Mysuru-Kodagu MP and local heritage organizations, argue that flyovers are a flawed, temporary solution that will fundamentally violate the city’s aesthetic and historical integrity.
The core concern lies in the physical and visual impact of these flyovers on the designated heritage zones. Both JLB Road and Vinoba Road are classified as heritage stretches, bordered by significant buildings such as the Regional Commissioner’s Office, the Deputy Commissioner’s residence, the Kalamandira auditorium, Maharaja’s College, and Maharani’s College. Opponents fear that the construction—which is projected to involve the felling of hundreds of mature, century-old trees and potentially obscure the sightlines of these historical buildings—will result in a permanent loss of the city’s grace and greenery.
Experts argue that reducing heritage to just a few preserved monuments while destroying the surrounding “cultural landscapes” (the context of planned avenues, green canopies, and visual harmony) leads to “lopsided . The lack of publicly available, data-backed traffic studies and the absence of meaningful public consultation before advancing the proposals have further fueled the resistance, transforming the infrastructure debate into a critical struggle for the preservation of Mysuru’s distinctive heritage identity.
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