• No money available to raze & rebuild dilapidated Saraswathipuram Fire Station, says Home Minister
• Rs. 30 crore proposal not included in 2025-26 budget

Mysore/Mysuru: The long-pending renovation and restoration of the 126-year-old heritage Fire Station on Kantharaj Urs Road in Saraswathipuram has been pushed further into uncertainty, with the State Finance Department citing financial constraints and the absence of budgetary allocation.

Responding to a question by Chamaraja MLA K. Harishgowda, Home Minister Dr. G. Parameshwar informed the Legislative Assembly yesterday during the ongoing Winter Session in Belagavi that the century-old heritage structure will be demolished and reconstructed in the same architectural style.

However, he added that the Rs. 30 crore project has been deferred for want of financial clearance, as the project is yet to receive approval from the Finance Department.

The delay dates back to 6 years and 18 days. On Aug. 9, 2019, a portion of the building’s dilapidated façade collapsed during heavy rain. No restoration work has been taken up since, despite repeated assurances by successive Chief Ministers, Ministers and local elected representatives who visited the site in the aftermath of the collapse.

The Home Minister said the Finance Department has categorised the proposal as a new project, for which no provision has been made in the 2025–26 Budget, resulting in the proposal being deferred once again.

A notified heritage building

Dr. Parameshwar noted that the Fire Station, constructed in 1898, is a notified heritage building and has functioned as a Fire Station since 1942.

Despite the partial collapse, the rear portion of the premises continues to house the offices of the Chief Fire Officer, Regional Fire Officer, District Fire Officer, Station Officer, the Zonal Control Room and 84 personnel working round-the-clock, with six fire tenders in operation.

The campus also includes 59 staff quarters, all of which have been vacated as they are in a severely dilapidated condition.

Tussle between PWD and heritage experts

Soon after the 2019 collapse, the Public Works Department (PWD) prepared an estimate of Rs. 20 lakh for repairs. However, following similar collapses at other heritage structures such as portions of Maharani’s College and Maharaja’s College, a five-member PWD committee recommended that the buildings and the staff quarters be razed and rebuilt in the same architectural style, in adherence to heritage norms.

The recommendation drew opposition from heritage experts, who argued that only the collapsed portions should be reconstructed, while the remaining structure should be renovated and restored.

This led to a detailed review by the district-level Heritage Committee, after which the Government directed officials to prepare a proposal for complete demolition and reconstruction mirroring the original design.

DPR of Rs. 30 crore

Accordingly, a Detailed Project Report (DPR) for demolition and reconstruction, estimated at Rs. 30 crore, was prepared. The Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) has received the plans and 3D drawings, and a decision was taken to build a new Fire Station along with residential quarters.

The Home Minister said the Fire and Emergency Services Department submitted the proposal on August 12, 2025, seeking approval for the construction of a new Fire Station and 30 residential quarters. While the PWD has finalised the estimate, the Finance Department (FD) has declined clearance, citing a lack of budgetary provision.

“The FD has stated that no allocation has been made for this project in 2025–26 Budget. Due to financial constraints, additional grants cannot be provided, and the proposal has therefore been deferred,” Dr. Parameshwar said.