Mysuru: A few days after a controversy erupted over its shape, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has directed the Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) and the Karnataka rural infrastructure development limited (KRIDL) to demolish the dome shaped bus shelter on Kerala Border-Kollegala section of the national highway (NH)-766 within a week.
In separate notices issued to both the state agencies, NHAI stated that the bus shelter was construction despite their objections. “The bus stop falls within the right of way of the NHAI. Moreover, the authorities does not approve of anything that raises communal controversy within its jurisdiction,” the letter to MCC and KRIDL read.
A couple of days ago, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and Karnataka MP Pratap Simha had threatened to pull down the ‘mosque-like’ bus shelters from city roads, if the authorities concerned did not take prompt action and demolish it.
Talking to media persons, Simha had said that he saw image of the bus stop on social media. “The bus stand has three domes, a big one in the middle and two small one beside it. That’s a masjid only,” he added.
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The BJP leader had also questioned how the design of the bus shelter changed overnight and claimed that Gumbaz-like structures were being constructed in most parts of Mysuru. “I’ve told engineers to demolish the structure in three-four days. If they don’t, I will take a JCB and demolish it,” he had stated.
The BJP leader’s statement triggered sharp reaction on the social media as well, as some netizen asking if he would also go ahead to dismantle Mysuru Palace and Bengaluru’s Vidhana Soudha, which too display the same look.
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An NHAI official said that the state agencies had been advised to remove the structure, which fuelled ‘communal issues, which is not acceptable and accordingly one week time has been given to remove the controversial structure. The NHAI would initiate action against the structure if the state agencies did not demolish it within the stipulated time,” he said.
