V Somanna to walk 4.8-km Jumbo Savari stretch today

Mysuru: Housing minister V Somanna, who is also  in-charge of Mysuru district, is taking his duties as chairman of the Dasara executive committee very seriously.

The 69-year -old minister has not only been holding back to back meetings on the soon to be held 10 -day Dasara festivities since Thursday with officers and elected representatives of all parties, but also plans to walk the entire 4.8km stretch  of the Jumbo Savari , the highlight of the celebrations, from Mysuru Palace to the Bannimantap parade grounds on Saturday to personally inspect the route that the caparisoned elephants will take on Vijayadashami Day.

Mr Somanna, who spoke of his plans to reporters Friday morning,  said that to ensure transperancy, all payments for Dasara events would be done  through RTGS and cheques. Revealing that the list of non- official members of the 16 Dasara sub- committees would be finalised by Tuesday next week, he said it would include all 65 corporators of Mysuru , 69 zilla panchayat members, and leaders of  all political parties. “We want it to be a people's Dasara by involving everyone,” he added.

The minister, who inspected basic infrastructure facilities at Chamundi hills Friday morning, said the multi- level parking lot to accommodate 600 vehicles and the shopping complex there would be inaugurated by  September 19 or 20.

And as part of his official duties , he visited Ms Pramoda Devi Wadiyar, the matriarch of the royal family of Mysuru and invited her to the Dasara festivities.

Also, being in charge of Mysuru district, he  directed the district deputy commissioner to prepare a master plan for the restoration and development of its heritage buildings, a project that the city's heritage lovers and historians have long pushed for.