Dodda Gadiyara restoration: Replace the old clock with modern system

Sir,

The restoration works of the historic Silver Jubilee Clock Tower (Dodda Gadiyara) has commenced under the leadership of Ramachandra Gowda, a specialist in restoration tasks (refer Star of Mysore dated Dec. 30 report titled Restoring Clock Tower).

Consideration can be given to replacing the ancient mechanical clock with a modern electronic system while retaining only the display disc with hour and minute hands. The currently non-functioning bell could be preserved as a mere showpiece, with the chiming function assigned to an audio system equipped with loudspeakers.

It is worth noting that similar modifications have been successfully implemented in the famous Clock Tower of London.

To reduce the load on the Clock Tower, the existing mechanical parts of the clock could be carefully dismantled and relocated to a designated place, such as the Visvesvaraya Museum in Bengaluru.

During restoration process, the use of drones equipped with movie cameras could provide photographic coverage. This would allow for recording of the work-in-progress and facilitate periodic updates to be shared with media. Such an approach ensures transparency and documentation throughout the restoration journey.

— D.V.M. Prakash, Gokulam, 11.1.2024

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