Year after damage, heritage building in Mysuru still awaits repairs

MYSURU

: More than a year after a part of it collapsed, the 122-year-old

heritage structure

that houses

Saraswathipuram Fire Station

, is still in ruins.


The

fire station building

was constructed in 1898.

The portico of the

heritage building

had collapsed in August 2019 following heavy rain and the elected representatives,

Mysuru City Corporation

(MCC) officials, staff of

PWD

and department of archaeology, museums and heritage, had visited the building and inspected the damage. However, even after a year, there has been no initiative to take up the repair and renovation of the landmark structure.

While the fire service officers claim that they had sent a proposal to the government for the repair and restoration of the building and are waiting for funds since a year, the

Mysuru City

Heritage Committee member NS Rangaraju told TOI that there is no money in the heritage department to take up the repair and restoration work of the building.

No funds for restoration

Rangaraju said that the main building as well as the staff quarters inside the fire station premises, are in dilapidated condition. “There is a need for urgent repair of the building. But the fact is, only the heritage buildings in the city coming under Central government are getting funds for restoration. The CFTRI building and Karanji Mansion received funds for restoration,” he said.

“The government has money to start development corporations to appease certain communities, but does not have money to restore the heritage structures in Mysuru,” historian PV Nanjaraja Urs told TOI.

“Government has given Rs 500 crore for Veerashaiva-Lingayat Corporation and Rs 50 crore for Marata Development Corporation, but no money for heritage buildings. Government recently appointed the new chairman for Karnataka Exhibition Authority, but as there will be no Dasara and exhibitions due to coronavirus, there was no need for the government to appoint and spend money for the new chairman,” he said.

He said no one in the government understands the importance of heritage. “They want works where they get commissions,” he alleged.