By Mohan Kayaka

Mysore/Mysuru: It has been six long years since the front portion of the heritage building housing the Saraswathipuram Fire Station in Mysuru collapsed. Yet, mired in political wrangling and bureaucratic apathy, the safety of firefighters stationed there remains gravely compromised.

The structure came crashing on Aug. 9, 2019, at 3.15 pm — ironically, on the day of the Varamahalakshmi festival. In the aftermath, promises were made, visits were conducted, but action has been elusive.

Back then, CM H.D. Kumaraswamy, his successor Basavaraj Bommai, former MP Prathap Simha, former Chamaraja MLA L. Nagendra, current MP Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar and current Chamaraja MLA K. Harishgowda, all inspected the site. Beyond token visits, however, no meaningful steps were taken to safeguard the lives of personnel working in the crumbling structure — a reality firefighters describe as both tragic and unforgivable.

Miraculously, the 2019 collapse claimed no lives — only a postman’s two-wheeler was damaged. But since that day, station staff have worked under a constant shadow of fear, unsure when the next disaster might strike.

Red tape stalls restoration

It took 19 days just to clear the debris, which was left dumped beneath a banyan tree. Authorities repeatedly cite the building’s “heritage” tag as justification for inaction, allowing red tape to stall every attempt at restoration.

After the collapse, regional Fire Officers were shifted to other stations — one to Bannimantap, the Chief Fire Officer to Hebbal — but the District Fire Officer and Station Officer remain at the unsafe premises. The Control Room too continues to function there, raising serious safety concerns.

Built in 1898 during the reign of the Mysore Maharajas, the once-proud heritage structure now stands abandoned and stripped of its dignity. Since the collapse, neither the administration nor elected representatives have bothered to ask how safe it is or how firefighters stationed                   there are coping.

A grant of Rs. 22 lakh was sanctioned for reconstructing the collapsed portico of the Saraswathipuram Fire Station. However, when the Public Works Department (PWD) proposed using standard cement mortar, heritage conservationists raised objections, insisting that the structure be restored with traditional lime-and-egg-based mortar — the same technique used in the original construction.

As heritage-grade materials and methods would significantly raise costs, officials deemed the sanctioned amount inadequate for authentic restoration. To prevent the funds from lapsing, the amount was instead diverted toward repairing compound walls and constructing a storeroom at the Bannimantap Fire Station, according to Regional Fire Officer P. Chandan.

Trapped in a political tug-of-war

The fate of the Saraswathipuram Fire Station’s heritage building remains in limbo, trapped in a tug-of-war between political leaders over how it should be rebuilt.

Mysuru-Kodagu MP Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar has pushed for restoring the 127-year-old structure in its original design to preserve its historical character. In contrast, Chamaraja MLA K. Harishgowda has argued that retaining the old structure could invite further complications and insists that a new building would be more practical.

A senior Fire Official, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed that the deadlock between the two elected representatives has stalled progress. “Six years have passed since the portico collapse, but not a single step has been taken toward restoration,” the official said.

Frustrated citizens have criticised the prolonged inaction, calling it emblematic of the administration’s apathy toward both heritage preservation and the safety of firefighters who continue to work at the damaged site.

Crumbling quarters force staff to bear rental burden

The crisis at the Saraswathipuram Fire Station extends beyond its damaged heritage building — the 64 staff quarters located behind the station have also fallen into severe disrepair, forcing firefighters out of their official accommodation.

Not a single firefighter resides in the quarters anymore, as the structures are deemed unsafe and at constant risk of collapse. With no alternative housing provided, personnel are compelled to rent homes nearby, shelling out thousands of rupees each month from their modest salaries.

The financial burden is heavy, as firefighters struggle to balance rent, household expenses and children’s education on limited pay. “If the quarters were livable, we could have saved on rent,” lamented several staff members, voicing their frustration at the prolonged neglect and lack of support.