Once a symbol of might, Tipu armoury now in a shambles

The monument, translocated 2 years ago, has turned into a dumping yard and public toilet

Mandya Karnataka India 30_June_2019 : The historical Tipu Sultan’s armoury near the Srirangapatna railway station, which played the prominent role during Anglo-Mysore wars, is crying for the attention. 
 Tipu constructed it store ammunitions for battles against British East India Company, represented mainly by the Madras Presidency. The 18th Century monument was translocated to another place at the cost of Rs. 13.66 crores from 3 to 11 March 2017 as it was hindering the Bengaluru-Mysuru railway track doubling works. The ‘Unified Jacking System’ was used for the first time in the country to translocate it by an Indo-American joint venture company PSL-Wolfe Private Limited.
 Now, weeds and shrubs have occupying it. The people are using it as dumping place and public toilet.

For several years till March 2017, the role played by Tipu Sultan’s armoury, near Srirangapatna railway station, during the Anglo-Mysore wars was recollected on many occasions by Central and State agencies.

The significance of preserving the 18th Century monument was always highlighted till the task of relocating it was accomplished. Two years on, the heritage monument is again longing for attention. With weeds and shrubs occupying it, the site is also a dumpyard for waste material such as cigarette packets and liquor bottles.

Saplings are growing on the armoury, which was once the symbol of might of the erstwhile Mysuru ruler. Seepages from the roof and the saplings may trigger cracks in the monuments if they are not removed immediately. The gate fixed after translocation was seen left wide open by local residents, when this correspondent visited the place on Sunday. There were clear indications of the area being used for anti-social activities apart from being turned into a public toilet owing to lack of security, ridiculing the concerns expressed during translocation.

Tipu Sultan’s armoury, a square-shaped structure about 12 metres wide and 10 metres tall, was one among the many armouries of Tipu constructed to store ammunition for battles against the British East India Company, represented mainly by the Madras Presidency.

Surprisingly, many passengers and others at the railway station, situated only a few metres away from the monument, claimed ignorance about its historical significance. They demanded that agencies should install boards explaining the importance of the monument besides taking up maintenance measures. Senior railway officials said that it was a ‘protected monument’ and the Archaeological Survey of India should take care of it.

The monument was a hindrance to the Bengaluru-Mysuru railway track doubling works for many years as bisected the alignment of the second track. The nearly 1,000 tonne structure was shifted to another area in March 2017 at a cost of ₹13.66 crore. The ‘Unified Jacking System’ was used for the first time in the country to translocate it by PSL-Wolfe Pvt. Ltd. The semi-buried structure was excavated, lifted, rolled, and moved using hydraulic crane, jacks, iron poles, rollers, and other material.