Mysore is an Educational, Commercial and Administrative Center and also on the way of becoming an important Tourist and Heritage Center. It is well connected to the adjoining States of Kerala (Waynad, Calicut) and Tamil Nadu (Ooty, Coimbatore) through roads.

Mysore can boast of having the first City Improvement Trust Board (1903) in the Country. Because of this Act the City has better planned extensions and better housing. According to the Town and Country Planning Act 1961- regulation of planned growth of Land, use development for making and executing Town Planning Schemes came into existence in 1966 at Mysore. The Planning Authority prepared the O.D.P for Mysore City in 1972. The proposed Conurbation area was 58.38 sq.km for an estimated population of5 Lakhs by 1986.

The C.D.P prepared by the Planning Authority was approved in 1981 and the proposed Conurbation area was 92.21 sq.km for an estimated population of 7 Lakhs by 2001 AD Subsequently Nanjangud Town Planning Area was amalgamated with Mysore Planning Area and called the 'Mysore Nanjangud Local Planning Area' in 1984 and in 1988 declared as local planning area for the ‘Environs of Mysore-Nanjangud Local Planning Area’ covering an extent of 495.32sq.km.

Mysore Urban Development Authority was constituted in 1988 to plan development of major and important urban areas. The C.D.P of Mysore was revised in 1997 due to rapid industrialization, Population growth, changed Economic Activities and Land Uses. Industries of all kind and the upcoming IT industries are few of the chief economic base of the city and also the main contribution for the development of the city. Mysore acts as an important Agricultural Products Market and a Commercial Centre for the neighboring Settlements.