The penchant that Ministers have for remodelling their official chambers at the Vidhana Soudha may be a thing of the past if pro tem Chairman of the Legislative Council Basavaraj Horatti’s wish to declare it a heritage monument becomes a reality.
Raising the issue, Congress member K. Govindaraju said the Vidhana Soudha, built in 1956, was a heritage monument. “But it is unfortunate that whenever new Ministers take over, they renovate their rooms by adding or demolishing walls and changing the direction of doors,” he said.
Pointing to a men’s washroom that was renovated and converted into a canteen on the first floor near the Legislative Council, the member said the architectural beauty of the building was getting marred by such changes.
Joining Mr. Govindaraju, other members, including V.S. Ugrappa, Ivan D’Souza, and Puttanna, pointed out the sad state of affairs in the Legislators’ Home. “Please direct the DPAR to ensure that these buildings are maintained properly,” Mr. Puttanna said, demanding that a resolution be adopted in this regard.
Responding to this, Mr. Horatti said he had held a meeting in this regard with officials. “If all of you agree, we can come out with a resolution stating that the Vidhana Soudha should be declared as a heritage building,” he added.