MYSORE: Important issues pertaining to Mysore city, including the Devaraja Market and ropeway connectivity to the Chamundi Hills, which have become controversial, were highlighted at an interaction meeting here on Thursday.

Experts and citizens participated in the meeting organised by the district administration to elicit suggestions to improve the beauty of Mysore. Their suggestions ranged from shelving the ropeway project owing to its "adverse" impact on the environs of the Chamundi Hills and retaining Devaraja Market as a heritage structure by strengthening it.

Bhamy Shenoy, MGP convener, said the ropeway project was not financially viable, besides the temple atop the hills was well served by road. "Ropeways should be used to reach remote places where roads could not be built, and ropeways connecting ski-resorts in Switzerland are one such example," he added.

Ravikumar, Director of the Centre for Appropriate Rural Technology (CART), stressed the need for an environmental impact assessment before taking up any project and said the Chamundi Hills should be considered as an ecological entity.

One of the important issues discussed in the meeting was the future of Devaraja Market, and experts suggested that it should be renovated and preserved for posterity.

Heritage expert Nagaraja Rao said, "We need to protect the cultural heritage of the city, and we have the capacity to retain Devaraja Market which is in a dilapidated condition." He cautioned against development of the Devaraja Market area for any other purpose than restoring the original structure.

He said the heritage committee had identified 243 buildings of heritage value and importance which should be preserved, and several of them were under private ownership.

Vice-Chancellor of the Karnataka State Open University K. Sudha Rao said tourists should be given an opportunity to witness the process involved in the production of various handicrafts, including Mysore silk saris and Mysore wood inlay works. Among others, participants raised the issue of maintaining cleanliness in the city by timely clearance of garbage, maintenance of roads, provision for clean drinking water and development of 165 parks.

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