Heritage debate brews over VVWW repairs

Mysuru: Civil works at the century-year-old Vani Vilasa Water Works (VVWW), the headquarters of the water supply arm of the Mysuru City Corporation (MCC), have triggered a controversy between heritage experts and civic authorities, with both sides sharply divided over the structure’s historical value and the nature of the ongoing repairs.

MCC has removed roof tiles of the VVWW building and removed the plaster for repairs, claiming the structure had developed cracks and water was seeping through the walls. Located on KRS Road, the structure is regarded as an important landmark linked to Mysuru’s early public water supply system. Built in the early 19th century using traditional lime and mortar, the building reflects construction practices that were common before the widespread use of modern cement and concrete.

NS Rangaraju, historian and a former member of the Mysuru District Heritage Committee, told Intach Mysuru chapter convenor, said the structure is more than a century old and built using lime and mortar and should be treated with caution because of its age and architectural character. He claimed the materials and construction style indicate that the building has heritage significance, even if it is not formally protected. He said any intervention on such a structure should follow conservation norms rather than routine repair methods.

Civic authorities, however, have denied that the building qualifies as a heritage structure. Officials also maintain that the property is not included in the official heritage list and therefore does not require special conservation treatment

MCC commissioner Shaik Tanveer Asif said the main office building of VVWW is not a heritage structure and as its condition was deteriorating, minor repair works were taken up to prevent water leakage from the roof. He, however, claimed that the premises houses another structure—Jewel House, which houses a water filter unit, which is a heritage structure.

Rope in experts to restore heritage structures: Pramoda Devi

Pramoda Devi Wadiyar, matriarch of the Mysuru royal family, has urged govt to rope in experts to restore heritage structures—Lansdowne Building and Devaraja Market.

Claiming that the Supreme Court has ordered the restoration and renovation of the long-pending Lansdowne Building and Devaraja Market, Pramoda Wadiyar said in a release on Wednesday that as the legal hurdle has been cleared, she urged the govt not to entrust the restoration and renovation work to the PWD. Instead, the responsibility should be assigned to experts involved in heritage conservation.