Mysuru’s dome row pits BJP MLA and MP against each other even as NHAI wants bus shelter razed

The controversial structure is one among the four bus shelters that local MLA SA Ramdas is constructing in his Krishnaraja constituency.

ByBellie Thomas

Published Nov 17, 2022 | 1:48 PMUpdatedNov 17, 2022 | 1:48 PM

The newly constructed bus shelter on Ooty Road near Mysore near Radisson Blu Hotel

The National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) wants a controversial bus shelter on Bengaluru-Ooty Road in Mysuru demolished.

Lok Sabha member and BJP leader Pratap Simha from Mysuru-Kodagu sparked the controversy on Sunday, 13 November, saying “all structures with a dome surrounded with two other domes are mosques”.

He urged the engineers to demolish the JSS College bus shelter within four days and threatened to do it himself if his demand is not met.

His remark triggered a flood of trolls on social media, with the internet community posting pictures of the Vidhana Soudha, Supreme Court and the Mysuru Palace — all having domes on their roofs.

Simha did not get the support of local BJP MLA SA Ramadas, who pointed out that the shelter was not in line with any religious architecture. The design matched Aramane’s (Royal Palace) architecture, he said, adding that Mysuru is a heritage city. Ramadas represents the Krishnaraja constituency in the state Assembly.

Indo-Saracenic architecture

The present Mysuru Palace, also known as Amba Vilas Palace, was constructed after the previous wooden chateau was gutted during a wedding in 1896.

Mysore/Mysuru Dasara festival

Mysuru Palace during Dasara (Creative Commons)

The then-executive engineer of the Mysuru palace division, who oversaw the construction, elaborately studied the architectural style of that time during his visits to several parts of the country. The palace was designed based on the Indo-Saracenic architecture.

Indo-Saracenic architecture is a revivalist style used by British architects in India during the second half of the 19th century. It heavily borrowed stylistic and decorative elements from native Indo-Islamic architecture, especially Mughal architecture, which the British regarded as the classical Indian style.

The basic layout and structure of Indo-Saracenic buildings are close to those used in contemporary buildings in other revivalist styles, such as Gothic revival and Neo-Classical, with added Indian features and decoration.

Indo-Saracenic architecture is also known as Indo-Gothic, Mughal-Gothic, Neo-Mughal, or less frequently, the Hindoo style.

Bulbous domes, overhanging eaves, pointed arches, minarets, openwork screens, jharokha-style screened windows and iwans — a rectangular space with walls on three sides — are some of the features of the Indo-Saracenic architecture.

Besides the Mysuru Palace, the Gateway of India, the Taj Mahal Hotel in Mumbai, Southern Railway Headquarters in Chennai, The National Art Gallery in Chennai, University of Madras’s Senate House, Kachiguda Railway Station in Hyderabad, and Karnataka’s Vidhana Soudha are a few examples of Indo-Saracenic architecture.

It’s public money, says Siddaramaiah

Meanwhile, Opposition Leader Siddaramaiah lashed out at Simha. “One should not indulge in such activities. He (Pratap Simha) lacks common sense. The government has built it. Who is he to bulldoze it,” the senior Congress leader asked.

“It’s the government’s money. Is it his money? The engineers who built it are government employees, aren’t they? When it was being built, why did they not think about the dome-shaped structure? Mughals who had ruled for 600 years had built such structures. Where were these people? History should be preserved,” Siddaramaiah said.

When asked if this controversy would impact elections, he said the people of Karnataka are intelligent and such tactics would not work in favour of the BJP.

NHAI joins row

The NHAI on Tuesday, 15 November, issued notices to the Mysuru City Corporation commissioner and the executive engineer of the Karnataka Rural Infrastructure Development Limited (KRIDL), asking them to tear down the controversial bus shelter.

The authority pointed out that the shelter was constructed violating its guidelines, especially the “Right of Way”. The NHAI has also set a week’s deadline to demolish the structure.

Incidentally, the shelter was an initiative of MLA Ramdas. Anticipating trouble that might hamper his ongoing four-bus shelter project, he wrote to the government requesting to constitute a committee to survey the area where the constructions are on.

He also said the committee should look into the designs, approvals and the NOCs received before the government decides to demolish them or not.

“We are ready to accept any decision the committee may take after the study and survey,” the MLA’s personal assistant Dilip told South First.

“The MLA issued the work orders for four bus shelters on public demand. The Mysore Mahanagara Palike (City Corporation) issued NOCs for the construction works on 29 October, 2021. The contract for constricting the shelters was awarded to contractor Mahadeva of Danthi Constructions at the behest of KRIDL,” he said.

“The construction of the bus shelters commenced in March-April this year, and almost 75 percent of the work has been completed. Fixing LED lights, installing an information board, some electrical and painting works are remaining,” he added.

Controversy over religion

Meanwhile, a minor row erupted over the religion of the contractor. Rumours were rife that the shelters are being constructed by one Tabrez. The MLA’s office was busy on Monday clarifying that Mahadeva is the contractor.

Bus shelter's Gumbaz with Kalashas (After)

Bus shelter’s Gumbaz with Kalashas (Sourced)

Soon after the MP’s controversial speech had gone viral, a section of the internet community alleged that KRIDL workers installed “kalashas” on the domes at night following Simha’s remark. Pictures of “kalashas” on the domes were widely circulated.

MLA Ramadas’s office issued a photograph with a Google timestamp, 6 November, to establish the “kalashas” were part of the design.

The MLA’s assistant said the shelter was constructed in a vacant area over a stormwater drain. The bus stop mostly caters to the students of JSS College.

On the NHAI’s notice, Dilip said the central agency cannot directly issue them to the corporation commissioner or executive engineer of the state government.

“It should have ideally issued the notice to the principal secretary to the state government, who will forward it to the authorities concerned. It seems someone had put pressure on the NHAI,” he added without naming anyone.