Mysuru: Even as Chief Minister Siddaramaiah issued directions to the officials to demolish and rebuild the century-old dilapidated Devaraja Market and Lansdowne Building after clearing all legal disputes, traders and shop tenants have strongly advocated for the preservation of the heritage buildings, emphasising repair over demolition.
Recently, Siddaramaiah convened a meeting with Mysuru region elected representatives and officials in Bengaluru, directing them to resolve pending legal issues concerning these structures. He instructed that the buildings should either be preserved or, if demolished, rebuilt in their original architectural style.
In response, tenants have reiterated their demand for repairs and preservation. “The case regarding the renovation and preservation of Devaraja Market is still pending in the Supreme Court. We firmly oppose its demolition,” said Mahadevu, President of the Devaraja Market Tenants Association.
Only partial collapse
He emphasised that apart from a partially collapsed section along Dhanvantri Road, the rest of the market building remains structurally sound. “Officials are creating unnecessary delays and controversies to justify demolition and reconstruction, ignoring repair options,” he alleged, further accusing authorities of deliberately damaging parts of the building in 2016 for ulterior motives.
“We have communicated to the Supreme Court that the building can be repaired and restored. We will abide by the Court’s decision,” Mahadevu added.
Speaking about CM’s meeting, MLA T.S. Srivatsa said that on the Lansdowne building, where no Court stay has been issued, Siddaramaiah has directed Advocate General to assess the situation and provide recommendations for necessary action, including possible demolition.

Alternative trading locations
To address concerns, he also proposed identifying alternative trading locations for the 700 shop tenants currently operating in the Devaraja Market before initiating any demolition and reconstruction. These points were raised during the meeting, stressing the importance of tenant support and business continuity, the MLA added.
Meanwhile, traders operating out of Lansdowne Building expressed frustration over prolonged delays. “It’s been more than 10 years since the building collapsed. Authorities must decide whether to demolish, reconstruct, or renovate and complete the work so we can resume business,” they said.
Heritage experts criticised the CM’s directive, calling it premature. They stressed the importance of awaiting the outcomes of the pending Special Leave Petition and Public Interest Litigation in the Supreme Court before taking any action.
Why intentionally delay?
Our stand has been clear from the beginning. If the crumbling Jayalakshmi Vilas Mansion in Manasagangothri campus can be restored using modern technology, why can’t Devaraja Market and Lansdowne Building be restored similarly? Look at the transformation of once-dilapidated CADA Office and full restoration of Government Ayurveda College. Even Maharani’s College is currently undergoing restoration. The Government and Mysuru City Corporation are deliberately delaying restoration efforts; they lack the will to preserve these historic buildings. Only a part of Devaraja Market, on Dhanvantri Road, has collapsed. Why create such a hullabaloo over this? Why push for a new building? What heritage value will these new structures hold?” —Prof. N.S. Rangaraju, Member, District Heritage Committee
The Government is assessing the technical report provided by experts and will make a decision accordingly. We will await directives from Govt. and act based on their instructions.” —A. Devaraju, Commissioner, Department of Archaeology, Museums and Heritage
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