Mysore/Mysuru:  The dome of Old Deputy Commissioner’s (DC) Office on Krishnaraja Boulevard in the city is being restored at an estimated cost of Rs. 1 crore. It is a first phase of the project, taken up towards the conservation of the most prominent landmark heritage structure of the city. The deadline to complete the works is six months.

The work has been taken up by the Department of Archaeology, Museums and Heritage and has been awarded to a contractor named Sharath Kumar, having expertise in the restoration of heritage structures. He had successfully completed one of the 14 works, associated with the restoration of K.R. Hospital.

Conservation Engineer of Archaeology Department D.H. Ambreesh told Star of Mysore this afternoon that the contractor has been instructed to use the materials in specified quantities as per heritage building works norms. In the next stage, the restoration works of the main building will be taken up and the Detailed Project Report (DPR) is being prepared, added Ambreesh.

Lime mortar mix…

The dome will be restored using lime mortar, which is prepared by using a blend of lime, jaggery, antuvalada kai (soapnut), bilpatre (baelfruit), uddina bele (black gram) etc. All these will be soaked in water, mixed and grinded in a machine to be installed at the work site, to produce lime and mortar. The lime is being sourced from Channarayapatna in Hassan district.

The unwanted weeds that have grown on the structure will be removed using chemicals. The scaffolding has been erected by taking all precautions, so that the building can withstand the additional weight, during the repair works.

Old building vacant

It may be mentioned that, following the shifting of DC Office to its new building in Siddarthanagar in June 2023, the old building remains vacant. A DPR titled ‘Adaptive Reuse of Old Deputy Commissioner’s Office Building and Development of an Art Precinct in Mysuru’ has been prepared, but remains on paper.

In the Karnataka Budget 2025-26, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had allocated Rs. 30 crore to transform the building into a State-level museum.