Sir,
At a time when heritage buildings in Mysuru are crumbling one by one, exposing the monumental neglect by the people who have power and a say in administration and maintenance of such buildings, one more heritage building is in danger of being relegated into the pages of history if immediate restoration measures are not taken up.
The Office of the Divisional Railway Manager (DRM), Mysuru Division, is a heritage building aged more than a hundred years. But unfortunately, its cries for attention are falling on deaf ears of the Railway Officers. During recent rains, there was seepage at many points and the plastering of roofs is giving way at many places.
The staff come to the office fearing for life every time it rains and the aftermath. The weeds which have grown uninterrupted have a potential to cause great damage to this heritage building that has an illustrious past and which is an asset to the future generations.
For the record, this building, which is presently the Office of the Divisional Railway Manager, was earlier known as the Central Railway Office and was designed by Dewan Sir Mirza Ismail during the reign of the 24th Maharaja of Mysore Kingdom Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar.
It has been constructed in the neoclassical style of architecture. The imposing structure with a series of free-standing columns, high roof, symmetrical domes and grand arched windows for ambient temperature and natural lighting is one of the prominent heritage buildings in Mysuru.
The cost of construction of the building was Rs.5.2 lakh and after the formation of Southern Railway in 1951, the building became the administrative office of the South Western Railway (SWR), Mysuru Division.
I urge the Government and the Mysuru Division of South Western Railway to take up immediate measures to repair the gaps created by rain and prevent seepage. Urgent measures can only save the building.
– A concerned citizen, Mysuru, 28.11.2022
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All major heritage buildings/tourist spots in Mysore are in same condition. Be it the Mysore Palace, Lalitha Mahal Palace, Jaganmohan Palace, Chamundi Temple, Brindavan Gardens, etc. They look beautiful and majestic only in photographs and from a distance. When you have a closer look at these structures, you can notice the decay they going through.
Lack of yearly check and maintenance leads to decay. This is what happened and happening to Devaraja Market and Landsdowne Building. Of course, tenants in these buildings did unauthorized alterations damaging the structure of the buildings. Having neglected the Heritage buildings for decades, now it is fashionable to talk about restoring Heritage buildings.