Tourism minister asks SWR to halt renovation of city station

Mysuru: Tourism minister SR Mahesh was anything but pleased with the ongoing renovation at the Mysuru City Railway Station, charging the railway officials with tampering with the integrity of a heritage structure.
Ordering officials of the Mysuru division of South Western Railway (SWR) to stop the renovation project at the station, Mahesh, who spent an hour at the terminus, said that the building had lost its innate beauty. “The railway authorities are chipping away at the original beauty of the station. The station is a heritage structure. They have replaced the old fencing with an iron one, which has taken the sheen off of its heritage look,” Mahesh told TOI.

The tourism minister was further miffed with the decision of the SWR authorities to relocate the two pillars that adorn the entrance to the station. “I am told that both the Mysuru deputy commissioner, and the commissioner of the heritage committee approved this move. But, in constructing the new building, the heritage value of the station has been lost. They can retain and strengthen the building, but they should not take up construction of new structures,” Mahesh added.

He said that he had directed the senior officials in the SWR’s Mysuru division to halt all ongoing renovation work at the terminus, and to confer with the DC and heritage panel chief before going ahead with any such projects.

SWR Mysuru division manager Aparna Garg and other senior railway officials were among those who accompanied Mahesh during his inspection.