Transfer of MUDA and private layouts to local bodies under way, says DC

The Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA), which already announced its decision to stop issuing khathas and collect property tax, has begun the process of transferring 17 MUDA layouts and hundreds of private layouts the local bodies.

Deputy Commissioner G. Lakshmikant Reddy, also the in charge chairman of MUDA, said the process of transferring the layouts developed by MUDA and the private layouts approved by MUDA began about two weeks ago. However, he refused to fix a deadline for completing the transfer process.

Though urban development authorities are empowered only to develop layouts and not collect property tax under the Karnataka Urban Development Authorities (KUDA) Act 1987, MUDA was collecting the property tax since decades.

The decision by MUDA to stop issuing khathas and collecting property tax is part of the overhaul of the authority, which is finding itself at the centre of a controversy over irregularities in the allotment of sites under the 50:50 ratio scheme.

The transfer of the layouts developed by MUDA and the private layouts approved by MUDA starts with the urban local bodies, under whose geographic jurisdiction they fell, issuing a NOC to the MUDA. The 17 MUDA layouts and about 900 private layouts fell under the jurisdiction of about 23 local bodies including CMCs like Hootagalli, Town Panchayats like Ramanahalli, Srirampura, Bogadi and Kadakola, besides a number of gram panchayats and Mysuru City Corporation (MCC).

Upon receiving the NOC from the local bodies, which will also comprise certain conditions including financial assistance, the MUDA writes to the State government to transfer the layouts and does so once the approval comes, according to sources in MUDA.

Transfer in phases

Out of the 900 layouts, about 250 layouts had already been transferred over the last few months. About 200 layouts from the remaining 650 will be transferred in the first phase while the rest of the 450 will be transferred in due course.

Many layouts, which had been developed more than 10 to 15 years ago, had remained under MUDA’s purview even though the authority did not have the resources to provide any amenities. “For instance, the MUDA does not have jetting machines at its disposal to clear clogged underground drainage or garbage collection system. When people start building houses in layouts developed years ago begin encountering clogging of the drainages, who will resolve their problem,” asked an official.

The decision to hand over the layouts to local bodies is expected to provide relief not only to the residents seeking civic amenities, but also the local bodies, which will be empowered to issue khathas and collect property tax.

The local bodies will also become accountable to provide drinking water, roads, electricity, and underground drainage system to the residents of the layouts transferred to them.

Published - November 17, 2024 07:35 pm IST