Mysuru: The Mysuru district administration and department of tourism took up a project to give a facelift to the old DC Office building, popularly known as Attara Kacheri. The project was announced in the 2025 budget. The 130-year-old heritage structure, constructed during the rule of Mysuru maharaja Chamaraja Wadiyar, has remained neglected for three years after the offices shifted to Siddhartha Nagar.The department of tourism has planned to convert it into a museum and tourism spot under Swadesh Darshan, while state govt has also planned to convert the heritage building into a museum.As the Old DC office building is located in the central business district, the tourism department has planned to convert it into a museum for showcasing rare artefacts in the treasury in the department of archaeology, heritage and museum. A total of 369 artefacts, including inscriptions on copper plates, coins of the past were kept in the treasury. It also planned to display khadi handloom products, other products famous in Mysuru and initiated measures to attract tourists worldwide.As the Attara Kacheri is a heritage building, a detailed project report (DPR) must be prepared by heritage structure conservation experts, and the state govt will issue a work order to prepare a DPR.Deputy commissioner Lakshmikanth Reddy, who is also head of the District Tourism Development Committee, said once the tourism department submits a DPR to the district administration, the committee would forward it to the state govt seeking its further administrative and financial approval for the project. A tender will be floated to give a facelift, besides to convert the old building into a museum after all these procedures, he added.Assistant director of tourism Prabhuswamy said that the department has initiated measures to prepare a DPR and a work order was also issued in this regard. The DPR to convert the Old DC office building into a museum and art gallery by the tourism department would be ready by next three months, he said.The Old DC office building has lacked maintenance and there is an urgent need to give it a facelift by retaining its heritage value, said NS Rangaraju, a Mysuru historian and former member of the District Heritage Committee.
