Mysore/Mysuru: The Mysore Grahakara Parishat (MGP) has urged the State Government to implement the Supreme Court’s (SC) directive on preserving the historic Devaraja Market and Lansdowne buildings without any further delay.

In a press statement, MGP Founding President Bhamy V. Shenoy said the Government should not file any appeal against the SC order and appealed to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to take responsibility for protecting the city’s heritage structures.

Welcoming the Apex Court’s recent judgement directing that the two heritage buildings should not be demolished but restored through protected renovation, he said the verdict had brought hope to citizens and heritage conservationists committed to preserving Mysuru’s cultural legacy.

“Most Mysureans and not just heritage enthusiasts, have welcomed the SC judgement to restore the buildings instead of demolishing them,” he noted.

Stating that MGP had participated in citizens’ movement to save the two structures, he expressed disappointment that the Government had earlier challenged Karnataka High Court’s August 2023 order favouring restoration.

Referring to technical studies, he said both the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) and IIT Roorkee had concluded that nearly 70 percent of the structures could be repaired and restored while retaining the existing foundation.

Drawing a comparison with the restoration of the Angkor Wat temples, Shenoy said even severely damaged heritage structures elsewhere in the world had been successfully preserved, proving that restoration of the Mysuru landmarks was feasible.

He further said the Government should have accepted the High Court verdict gracefully and initiated restoration works immediately, adding that the three-year delay may have led to further deterioration of the buildings.

Calling for professional execution of the restoration project, he said the contract should be awarded to a competent agency with world-class expertise, as conserving the heritage structures would require specialised work.

MGP urged the Government to appoint a commission to review tenancy contracts before renewal. He said identifying rightful tenants and determining appropriate rent would be a complex exercise and stressed that MCC should not suffer losses in the process.