Even as Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is preparing to present his Budget for the year 2025-2026 on March 7, key stakeholders in tourism and hospitality sectors here are putting forth their demands, with hopes of the State government considering their appeals aimed at tourism and city development.With the city growing rapidly, infrastructure development has become a key issue. As Mysuru, an important Tier-II city, is projected as the second best destination after Bengaluru for investments, the Hotel Owners’ Association in Mysuru has demanded flyovers at all the junctions of the Outer Ring Road (barring Hinkal on Hunsur Road which already has an overpass).In a memorandum to the Chief Minister, association president C. Narayanagowda sought flyovers at five locations of ORR junctions – Bengaluru Road, Bannur Road, T. Narasipura Road, Nanjangud Road and H.D. Kote Road, allocating funds in the ensuing Budget for implementing the works. The flyovers will ease traffic congestion, preparing the city for the future years even as the vehicular traffic in the city has been on the rise besides increase in the tourist vehicles to the city.In the last Budget, the Chief Minister had announced a flyover at ORR junction on Bengaluru-Mysuru Highway near Manipal Hospital. It was announced that the flyover will be constructed in collaboration with the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), to reduce congestion. But, there has been no headway in the project.There has been regular traffic congestion at the ORR junction at Manipal Hospital especially after the new multi-lane Bengaluru-Mysuru highway was thrown open to the traffic. The Chief Minister announced the flyover project following demand from the locals, with the idea of making the junction signal-free for seamless movement of traffic. But, the stakeholders are seeking flyovers even at other ORR junctions besides near the Manipal Hospital.Mr. Narayanagowda also suggested in his memorandum for announcing a mega convention centre as done in Bengaluru (on Tumakuru Road) for holding mega events with a capacity of 20,000 to 40,000 people.The association has also sought the Disneyland-type amusement park in Mysuru region. However, the amusement park, which was earlier proposed by Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar at the KRS dam site, has already received Cabinet approval and the cost of the project is estimated at ₹2,663 crore on PPP model.Perhaps, the association wanted the project expedited keeping in view of tourism development in the region.The association said the government can get revenue if it issues CL-2 and CL-9 licences in the excise department as no new licences had been issued for the past 30 years. Around 4,000 such licences can be issued across the State, he urged.Published - February 26, 2025 07:30 pm IST