“Don’t demolish Devaraja Market, Lansdowne Building”

Mysuru:  The Government-Constituted Heritage Committee to ascertain the lifespan of heritage structures and their conservation has recommended the State Government not to demolish the historic Lansdowne Building and Devaraja Market in Mysuru.

The final report in this regard was submitted to Deputy Commissioner Abhiram G Sankar, who is also the Chairman of the Committee, on Nov. 13.

A meeting was held at the DC’s Office in city this morning to discuss the Committee’s recommendations.

Speaking to press persons after chairing the meeting, DC Abhiram Sankar said that he had received the final report and forwarded the same to Mysuru City Corporation to take further action after discussing the same at the Council.

In its final report, the Committee members suggested the government to continue restoration and repair works without demolishing Lansdowne Building and Devaraja Market. He said that the Committee had opposed the demolition even in its interim report submitted to the government in February this year. It recommended end-to-end restoration of both the structures so that they can last another 50 years or so.

The Committee was constituted following the partial collapse of Lansdowne Building in August 2012 in which four persons died while a portion of Devaraja Market crumbled in 2016. The Committee was tasked with studying the feasibility of demolishing and reconstructing the buildings as they were dilapidated and posed a risk for human life and limb.  

Sources told Star of Mysore that the Committee demanded the State Government to expedite the heritage regulations that were submitted to the government seven years ago for restoration and conservation of all the heritage buildings without damaging its original facade.

With its Gothic architecture, Lansdowne Building was built during the reign of Mysore Maharaja, Chamaraja Wadiyar in 1892, in memory of the visit of British Viceroy Lansdowne and his wife to Mysore.

The meeting also discussed rebuilding of four pillars that were damaged by development works at the iconic City Railway Station. The Station which was constructed in 1870 is also identified as one of the heritage structures. It may be recalled here that the Station was in news recently following the disfigurement of cylindrical pillars.

The Committee also discussed about restoration and reconstruction of Sanskrit Hostel building near Mysuru City Corporation Office besides discussing about the constitution of a sub-committee to identify those heritage structures that can be added to the heritage list.

Mysuru City Corporation Commissioner K. H. Jagadeesha, Mysore Urban Development Authority Commissioner P.S. Kantharaj,   Deputy Director of Archaeology and Museums Nirmala Matapathi, Heritage Committee members Maj. Gen. (Retd.) Sudhir G. Vombatkere, Prof. N.S. Rangaraju, engineers others were present.

Inspection of City Railway Station, Sanskrit Hostel tomorrow

DC Abhiram Sankar informed that the Heritage Committee members, experts, MCC authorities and other officials will visit City Railway Station to inspect the disfigured cylindrical pillars tomorrow. They will also visit Sanskrit Hostel, parts of which that have been damaged. They will study and give a report to the government for restoration of these structures.