The railway station modification works and terms listed by the Heritage Committee will be discussed at a meeting of senior officials to resolve some of the alleged departures from the conservation norms.
Committee member N.S. Rangaraju said this was decided at a meeting of stakeholders at the railway office on Tuesday. Though the railway authorities have maintained that the norms were not violated and the extension of a portal provides a continuity to the façade, the committee members have pointed out that the use of modern construction material was a violation.
Meanwhile, Tourism Minister S.R. Mahesh said they only want to ensure that heritage buildings in Mysuru are not extended or modified without following norms, in future.
Speaking to mediapersons after inspecting the station building work, the Minister said the extension of the structure was a violation and would be brought to the notice of the Chief Secretary. “Though there was a provision under the law to penalise violations, they were not invoking this for the smooth functioning of different wings of the government but want to ensure that such a controversy does not arise again with respect to conservation or repair of heritage structures of Mysuru in future. If not, there will be very little heritage element left in the city,” he added. Mr. Mahesh said the issue pertained to the heritage of Mysuru and such works could be allowed to be a precedent as the city had nearly 100 notified heritage structures.
Meanwhile, Mysuru MP Pratap Simha, who inspected the spot, said the work was due for completion within the next two months and appealed against ‘interference in what was essentially a Central domain’.
He said the Narendra Modi government had identified 65 stations across the country – of which Mysuru was one – and had sanctioned funds for its modernisation. The existing work entailed embellishing the station premises, shifting the goods yard, improvisation of the parking lot, etc., for which ₹15 crore has been sanctioned.
Mr. Simha said it would be beneficial to all if stakeholders promoting tourism remained focused in their respective spheres and ‘did not interfere’ in Central works and cooperate in the completion of the works.
Earlier, Mr. Mahesh, accompanied by heritage committee members Prof. Rangaraju and Eichnur Kumar, Deputy Commissioner Abhiram G. Sankar, Divisional Railway Manager Aparna Garg and others inspected the ongoing works.
