Hassan city is all set to get a new district administration office in place of the 68-year-old structure on B.M. Road in the city. What has piqued curiosity is the fact that the design finalised by the Public Works Department for the new building resembles that of the Ram Temple being built in the Nagara style at Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh.
The district administration has begun shifting offices from its structure so that construction would start. Once the major portion of the new building is ready, the staff will shift to the new building, allowing for the demolition of the old structure. The vacant place will turn into a parking yard.
₹40 crore
Along with the DC’s office, adjacent buildings of the Assistant Commissioner’s office, the old court complex, the old office of the Treasury Department, and the building where revenue documents have been kept, will be demolished. The total built area would be 18,164.21 sq.m. The State Government had given administrative approval for ₹10 crore, as of now. However, it is estimated that the construction of the new building will require a total of ₹40 crore.
Interestingly, the existing building is in good condition and there have been no reports from the PWD for demolition and the structure is well maintained. The structure built in 1954 has enough room and space for the staff.
JD(S) opposes
Meanwhile, the move to demolish the existing structure to build a new one has not gone well with the JD(S) leaders. Former Minister H.D. Revanna has said he would not allow the demolition of the DC office. The existing structure is in good condition and there was no need for another. Revenue Minister R. Ashok, during his visit to the city recently, defended the construction of the new building. Hassan MLA Preetham Gowda said during Mr. Revanna’s tenure as Minister in charge of the district many buildings were demolished in the city. He had no moral right to comment now, he maintained.
Recently, the district administration demolished a 34-year-old taluk office overnight to build a new one. The JD(S) leaders had opposed the demolition of the taluk office as well. However, the administration went ahead with its plan.
