JOIN USWorried about the crumbling MS Building, the state government plans to construct 25-storied twin towers near Anand Rao Circle to house all its departments. Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa has allocated Rs 400 crore for the twin towers in the budget.
If official sources are to be believed, the government has been toying with the idea of a single large building to house all its departments since the MS Building has become too old. A detailed project report for the twin towers will be prepared by the end of 2020-21. According to an official in the public works department, the previous government had formed a task force to assess the damage to the MS Building. Then came a proposal that the building be demolished and a new structure constructed in its place. All these matters were referred to a technical committee of experts for a final opinion, the official added.
A PWD engineer said that if the government decided to demolish the MS Building and replace it with a new structure as per the existing Floor Area Ratio (FAR), the new building must be double in size. “There should be at least 12 lakh square feet of space and the cost may go up to Rs 480 crore,” the engineer explained.
There is another worry. A large concrete edifice at Anand Rao Circle may not be a great idea since the area is already dotted with electrical installations and energy department offices.