SUPREME COURT CALLS FOR IIT ROORKEE REPORT ON CONSERVATION OF MYSURU’S DEVARAJA MARKET AND LANSDOWNE HERITAGE STRUCTURES:

The Supreme Court has directed the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Roorkee to conduct an independent assessment on whether Mysuru’s historic Devaraja Market and Lansdowne Buildings can be preserved through repairs or renovation rather than being demolished. The Court instructed that the report be submitted in a sealed cover.

The order was passed by a bench of Justice J.B. Pardiwala and Justice Sandeep Mehta while hearing a petition challenging the Karnataka government’s decision to demolish these two 19th-century heritage structures and reconstruct them with the same façade. The petition, filed by senior journalist G. Satyanarayana Gouri, challenges the Karnataka High Court’s decision of August 8, 2023, which dismissed his plea to halt the demolition.

During the hearing, the Court referred to a report prepared by the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH), which had concluded that both structures could be preserved through renovation and repair. Taking note of this report, the bench observed that if preservation through repairs or restoration was possible, then efforts should be made to retain the original structures instead of proceeding with demolition. At the same time, the Court noted the importance of seeking a second independent expert opinion and decided to call for an assessment from IIT Roorkee.

The matter has been under the Supreme Court’s scrutiny since December 4, 2024, when the Court impleaded the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and INTACH. At that stage, the Court had stressed that these structures were not colonial-era constructions but belonged to the princely State of Mysuru, and therefore deserved a serious attempt at restoration.

Senior Advocate Dr. Aditya Sondhi, appearing for the petitioner, argued that both the Devaraja Market and Lansdowne Buildings had already been declared heritage structures under Section 2(1ea) of the Karnataka Town and Country Planning Act, 1961. He further relied on a UNESCO Committee report that also recommended restoration rather than demolition.

While sympathetic to the cause of preservation, the bench expressed concerns over cost and sustainability. It observed that restoration might come at a heavy financial burden, and even after extensive efforts, the structures’ lifespan may be extended only by three to four decades. The Court also noted the past incident where a portion of the Lansdowne Building collapsed after undergoing partial restoration, raising doubts about long-term feasibility and safety.

Against this backdrop, the Court considered it necessary to obtain an impartial technical evaluation. By assigning IIT Roorkee the task of conducting a structural study, the Court seeks clarity on whether preservation through repair is technically viable, safe, and cost-effective. The findings of this report will play a crucial role in shaping the Court’s final decision on whether demolition can be avoided.

The Supreme Court will take up the matter again once IIT Roorkee submits its report. Until then, the future of Mysuru’s iconic Devaraja Market and Lansdowne Buildings remains undecided, with heritage preservation and modern redevelopment interests delicately balanced before the country’s highest court.