The leak detected in the iconic Mysore Palace is being sealed with a proven waterproofing method to protect and preserve the structure.
With just a few days left for the start of the grand Dasara spectacle here and the Indo-Sarcenic style palace being the main attraction for tourists, Palace Board authorities, the caretakers of the monument, are leaving no stone unturned to plug the leak on the roof of the children's gallery and prevent dampness caused owing to incessant rain.
‘Effective method'
Engineers decided to use lightweight material to seal the leak on its “Madras terrace roof”, rather than using concrete, proofing tiles or resorting to chemical treatment.
“The cracked joints of the corrugated metal roofing are being sealed with the application of a waterproofing membrane with polyester reinforcement. It is a proven and effective method to seal leaks on the roofs of heritage structures. Moreover, it is lightweight and does not overload the structure,” explained engineer Shivakumar.
“The waterproofing work commenced over a week ago and will take a few more days to complete,” Mr. Shivakumar told The Hindu .
A Palace Board official described the work as regular maintenance work.
The conservation of the palace is usually done in consultation with heritage conservation experts such as the Regional Conservation Laboratory, Mysore. The maintenance expenditure of the Mysore Palace, which drew over 26 lakh tourists in 2009, is met mainly from gate collections. The annual expenditure touches Rs. 7 crore.
