If all goes to plan, the Jayalakshmi Vilas Mansion — an important heritage structure in the city that was constructed in 1905 — will be restored with funding from the Tourism Department.
The issue came up at the District Heritage Committee meeting held on Monday. Deputy Commissioner Abhiram G. Sankar, who chaired the meeting, said the department is prepared to fund the restoration work that is expected to cost around ₹5 crore.
The matter is in the preliminary stages and a detailed project report is yet to be approved, but the department is keen that the restored structure is open to the public for viewing, Mr. Sankar said. This calls for an MoU with the University of Mysore and a decision will be taken after a meeting with the Vice-Chancellor, he added.
But the Engineering Division of the university, which maintains the heritage structure located on the Manasagangotri campus, came in for flak for not adhering to conservation norms in the upkeep of the structure.
N.S. Rangaraju, a member of the heritage committee, said varsity officials had failed to take any of the precautionary and conservation measures suggested by the committee. “They were awaiting permission from the More Urban Development Authority to take up conservation work, but the committee members told them that no permission was required for it as it did not entail any new construction work,” he added.
The varsity was instructed to stop seepage of water from the terrace and to reduce the load on the first floor by removing the antiques and other heavy materials stored there. Maj. Gen (retd) Sudhir Vombatkere, MCC Commissioner Shilpa Nag, Deputy Director of Heritage Nirmala Mathapati, and Deputy Director of Tourism H.P. Janardhan were among those present.