After a long wait, the new Deputy Commissioner’s office complex on Mysore-Bannur Road in Siddharth Nagar has become operational with Deputy Commissioner K.V. Rajendra shifting to the new premises from the old premises in Krishnaraja Boulevard on Thursday, June 7, and commencing to discharge his duties as the administrative head of the district from the newly-constructed building.
The old Deputy Commissioner’s office in the heart of Mysuru city. It is a century-old building which is expected to be converted into a museum. | Photo Credit: M.A. Sriram
Mr. Rajendra also held his first meeting after moving to the new office complex with the officers of the Mines and Geology.
Henceforth, the Deputy Commissioner will be available to the public and to attend official works, chairing meetings etc., in the new building, which has remained non-functional for over five years.
On the instructions of Mr. Siddaramaiah, who will be on a maiden visit to Mysuru after becoming the Chief Minister for the second time, on June 10, the new DC office has become operational and all offices that were functioning in the old office will move to the new premises in the days ahead.
The district administration was functioning in the century-year-old majestic building near the Crawford Hall in the heart of the city even after the inauguration of the new spacious office complex as the new premises was not fully equipped to operate. The office of the Minister in-charge of Mysuru district in the previous government was housed in the new DC office complex.
Visit for official work
An official note from the DC’s office said the public have to visit the new office complex for availing public services and for meeting the DC on any official work.
The new office, resembling the iconic Lalitha Mahal Palace in its architecture, was inaugurated on March 10, 2018, when Mr. Siddaramaiah was the Chief Minister. It was inaugurated a few weeks before the 2018 Assembly elections. However, the DC office continued to be housed in the colonial-era style building, off Hunsur Road, for various reasons.
The new office complex was built at a cost of ₹85 crore in a 15-acre plot to bring all the offices of the district administration under one roof. The total built area of the three-storied building with basement is around 23,000 sq feet – three to four times bigger than the existing office.
Mr. Rajendra said that a few departments, including the Departments of Food and Civil Supplies; Survey, Settlement and Land Records; Urban Development; Statistics and others had shifted to the new building much earlier. There were some technical issues which were addressed for shifting to the new office. “We used to hold meetings in the new office complex before the workplace was officially shifted.”
All sections of the DC office will eventually move to the new office. “We were preparing for shifting to the new office since the last three months and the process got momentum post-elections,” he added.
Other offices which are expected to be shifted to the new office include the election branch and the Department of Hindu Religious Institutions and Charitable Endowments. With the DC starting to discharge his duties from the office, other offices are expected to expedite the shifting process.
Public transport is key for the public to access the new office considering the fact that the old office was in the heart of the city, almost at a walkable distance from the city bus stand, whereas the new office is a few kilometres away from the bus terminus and railway station.
