Supreme Court seeks testimonies from experts to decide fate of 132-year-old structure

Mysuru: A team of heritage experts from the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) inspected dilapidated Lansdowne Building, located opposite KSRTC Bus Stand, yesterday.

The inspection has renewed hopes for a pragmatic resolution to the prolonged legal and conservation dispute surrounding the 133-year-old structure, which has long hung in the balance due to divided expert opinion on whether to restore or rebuild it.

The visit was conducted in accordance with the recent Supreme Court (SC) directive, issued while hearing a Special Leave Petition (SLP).

The Apex Court has sought comprehensive reports from both INTACH and the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) after directing inspections of both the Lansdowne Building and Devaraja Market.

The INTACH team, led by retired Professor Raghunath and comprising experts Manish, Siddarth, Jeevita and Amrita, thoroughly examined the first and second floors, foundation, beams, pillars, ceilings, doors and windows of the now-defunct structure.

The team assessed the structural integrity, identifying portions weakened by age and water seepage.

Photographic documentation

To support their analysis, the team recorded photographic and video documentation and collected sand samples from areas originally constructed using lime and mortar.

During the inspection, officials from the Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) — Deputy Commissioner K.J. Sindhu and Assistant Executive Engineer A.N. Madhusudhan — provided technical and historical data regarding the building’s construction, maintenance history, number of shops and details of previous collapses.

The expert team made detailed observations about structurally sound and weak portions, weighing the feasibility of restoration and discussing engineering methods appropriate for heritage conservation.

They also examined whether reconstructed portions — particularly damaged shops on the first floor — could visually and architecturally match the original design. The flaking remnants of lime-and-mortar sections were collected for further analysis.

Refusing to comment on the specifics of the inspection, Prof. Raghunath told reporters, “We have conducted the inspection as per the Supreme Court’s directions and will submit a detailed  report to the Court.”

The team concluded its Mysuru visit with the Lansdowne Building inspection and indicated plans to inspect the Devaraja Market building on Sayyaji Rao Road on another day.

Meanwhile, ASI experts are also expected to carry out their inspection soon, though the schedule is yet to be confirmed.

Legal battle so far

In December 2024, the Supreme Court issued an interim order following a Special Leave Petition (SLP) filed by heritage advocate and author G. Sathyanarayana (popularly known as Gouri Sathya) and Raja Chandra, the son-in-law of late Maharaja Jayachamaraja Wadiyar. The SLP was filed against the Karnataka High Court’s judgement dated Aug. 8, 2023, in Writ Petition No. 15215/2020 (PIL).

The petition sought to restrain authorities from demolishing or reconstructing the Devaraja Market and Lansdowne Building, citing their classification as heritage structures under Section 2(1ea) of the Karnataka Town and Country Planning Act, 1961, and their inclusion in the Master Plan – 2031 for the Mysuru-Nanjangud Local Planning Area (Revision – II).

A Bench, comprising Justices Sudhanshu Dhulia and Ashanuddin Amanullah, ordered a halt to any demolition or reconstruction work and directed that notices be served to INTACH and ASI. The matter was re-listed for hearing on Jan. 8, 2025.

Tender spurs fresh move

The State Government had recently floated a tender worth Rs. 35.95 crore for reconstructing the Lansdowne Building. In response, some individuals moved the Supreme Court challenging the Karnataka High Court’s ruling, prompting the apex court to seek expert opinions from INTACH and ASI.

The Supreme Court will take a final decision — whether to raze or restore the structure — based on these expert reports, aiming to ensure a balanced approach to conservation and development of Mysuru’s built heritage.