‘Pensioners’ Paradise’ evolving into another metropolitan city

Mysuru, which is known as ‘Pensioners Paradise’, owing to its peaceful environment, calmness and beauty, is rapidly evolving into another metropolitan city, like Bengaluru.

As per a study, the built-up area has increased by 180.91% in a span of 16 years, between 2000 and 2016. With this, the ‘Heritage City’ is going the 'Bengaluru way' in terms of urbanisation. Thus, agriculture lands, water bodies and forest cover are severely affected.

The study ‘An Analysis of Urban Sprawling of Mysore Planning District and its impact’, conducted by C S Manjunatha, assistant professor of Geography, Karnataka State Open University (KSOU), as part of his doctoral thesis makes the revelation.

The study has analysed the built-up area, including layouts, dynamics of structure and pattern of urban growth in the Mysuru Local Planning District (LPD), identified by Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA). The area covers Mysuru city, villages on the outskirts and Nanjangud Town, covering 507.23 sq km.

In 2000, the built-up area was 80.71 sq km, i.e., 15.91% and the area was extended to 226.72 sq km, 44.70%, in 2016. The built-up area has increased by 146.01 sq km in 16 years and the built-up area was extended by an average of 9.13 sq ft per annum, according to the study.

Out of the 507.23 sq km of the LPD, spatial extent of agriculture class declined from 393.37 sq km, i.e., 77.55% to 253.59 sq km, 50%, during 2000 to 2016. Net decrease observed was 139.78 sq km with an annual rate of 8.74 sq km i.e., 8,740 hectare.

According to the study, about 79.9% residents of the villages have sold their land, partially or completely. The main motive of selling their lands is the real estate boom, followed by shortage of labour and low returns from agriculture.

The water bodies declined from 12.84 sq km (2.53%) to 9.42 sq km (1.86%) from 2000 to 2016. The net decrease was 3.42 sq km, with an annual rate 0.21 sq km (i.e., 210 hectare). The forests declined from 11.25 sq km to 10 sq km and net decrease was 1.25 sq km, with an annual rate 0.08 sq km.

According to Manjunatha, the built-up expands mainly at the cost of agriculture class and also water bodies, forest and wastelands. The increase in population, development of new layouts by MUDA, private persons and cooperative societies, boom in real estate, establishment of IT companies, emergence of educational and academic institutions, corresponding infrastructure development, industrial area development among others are a few reasons for the massive built-up growth.

The study has proved that the combined approach of remote sensing and spatial metrics is an effective tool to detect and to quantify the structure and pattern of urban growth at local levels.

To improve monitoring mechanism, to achieve sustainable urbanisation, the study suggests establishing committee comprising officers of Mysuru City Corporation (MCC), MUDA, Minor Irrigation Department, Forest Department and Gram Panchayats within LPA for implementing plans and for formulating policies to manage urban growth. The study has opined for constituting a cell with advanced remote sensing and GIS enabled mechanism to have up-to-date information regarding land use and cover change.