Mysuru: The Glass House that has been under construction at the Kuppanna Park in city since a year, on the lines of the one at Lalbagh in Bengaluru, will be finally completed by mid February.

This project was initially under the care of the Horticulture Department and now the baton has been handed over to Public Works Department (PWD), who with assistance from Nikitha Build-Tech Pvt. Ltd., are constructing the huge structure that will house varieties of plants.

The dome-like magnificent white steel structure stands tall at the centre of the Kuppanna Park, also known as Nishad Bagh, as the fabrication process is completed and the installation of glass panes is still pending.

A Glass House, generally known as Green House or Hot House, is a space wherein plants can be grown throughout the year giving it required amount of heat and temperature. The house with glass roofs and panes will trap heat and also have additional vents to let out excess heat.

Speaking to Star of Mysore, D. Manjunath, Deputy Director of Horticulture, Mysuru, said, “The Glass House should be ready by the second week of February.  We have given different contracts to different people catering to the construction such as glass installation, cementing etc. The estimated cost of the entire construction of the project is around Rs. 5.95 crore.”

The glass area of the structure spreads to about 25,000 sq. feet and the steel structure weighs (without the glass) about 100 tonnes. The Glass House is raised on a platform height of about 1.5 mts and is 21 metre high and spreads to about 2,000 sq. mts. The structure will have special solar tempered glass panes to trap heat and provide suitable condition for plant growth.  Argo Facades, a manufacturing company related to structural glazing, structural glazing systems, aluminium double glazing sound proof system and glazing service was taking care of the construction works.

Anand Das, Managing Director of Argo Facades, said, “The Glass House has four entry points and an elevated platform and the entire steel structure weighing 100 tonnes is firmly based on the ground. The work is expected to complete soon and tourists can visit the place by February end. We have kept a target to open it by Feb.15.”

On being asked about the dimensions and the materials (used to construct the Glass House), he said that those details cannot be revealed.

Kuppana Park, which was one of the tourist attracting spots for its Flower Shows and Musical Fountains, will reach a higher level once the Glass House is completed and will result in more public inflow and also ensure plant growth development and conservation of biodiversity.