KRS road renaming row: Congress MLA for retaining Princess Road for one stretch while naming another stretch after CM

Chamaraja MLA clarifies controversy over renaming KRS road stretch, assures Princess Road will remain unchanged.

Chamaraja MLA K. Harish Gowda, whose representation seeking to rename a stretch of KRS road after Chief Minister Siddaramaiah sparked off a controversy, on Monday sought to clarify that a stretch of the road from Dasappa circle to Sri Lakshmi Venkataramanaswamy Temple in Vontikoppal will remain as Princess Road.

Addressing a press conference in Mysuru, Mr. Gowda admitted that the stretch of KRS from Dasappa Circle on Jhansi Lakshmi Bai (JLB) road to the temple is shown as Princess Road in the official records including 2011 revised Comprehensive Development Plan (CDP) of Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA).

Stating that he had immense respect for the erstwhile Maharajas of Mysore, Mr. Gowda said he never wished to rename Princess Road after Mr. Siddaramaiah.

Sharing copies of his representation to the Deputy Commissioner in the regard, Mr. Gowda said he had urged the authorities to rename only the stretch of road from Sri Lakshmi Venkataramanaswamy Temple in Vontikoppal to Hotel Royal Inn junction in Metagalli near the Outer Ring Road after Mr. Siddaramaiah in view of his contribution to setting up healthcare facilities on the stretch of road.

Presently, the entire stretch of road from Dasappa Circle on JLB road onwards towards KRS is popularly known as KRS road, Mr. Gowda said there is no name plate to indicate that the stretch from Dasappa circle to the Temple in Vontikoppal is known as Princess Road.

The Chamaraja MLA assured to not only urge the Commissioner of Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) to install a nameboard to identify the stretch of Princess road, but also install a statue of Princess Kempananjammanni in honour of the erstwhile royal family member.

Mr. Gowda also sought to clarify that the Congress was not opposed to the erstwhile royals. The erstwhile Maharajas had contributed to the development of Mysuru while the late Srikantadatta Narasimharaja Wadiyar too was associated with the Congress and even elected as an MP from the party. Even though Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar had joined the BJP and become an MP, Mr. Gowda clarified that the respect for the erstwhile royals will remain.