Mysuru: Former mayor Shivakumar Monday urged chief minister Siddaramaiah to give special attention to the protection of over 234 heritage buildings, as many of them are poorly maintained.The deteriorating heritage structures not only raise concern but also pose a danger to public safety and the city’s rich cultural legacy.Speaking to reporters, he said among the 129 officially-declared heritage structures, except for a few heritage buildings, mainly Devaraja Market, Maharani’s College, and Lansdowne Building, most of them are in a dilapidated condition. Incessant rain and lack of funding for their upkeep have further exacerbated the problem.As tourism in Mysuru is heavily dependent on its heritage quotient, the lack of focus on the upkeep of heritage structures is negatively impacting tourism. The state govt must initiate urgent measures for the restoration of these structures.He said the state govt has also announced plans to convert the Old DC office building into a museum at the cost of Rs 78 crore, but the works were not started in this regard.He mentioned that a non-political delegation, including MLAs and MPs, will be taken to meet the chief minister to prevail upon him to initiate measures for the protection of the heritage buildings.
