Rs 2.7 cr for Vidhana Soudha renovation

Minister for Public Works Dr H C Mahadevappa on Tuesday told the Legislative Council that the State government has set aside a sum of Rs 2.7 crore for renovation of the Vidhana Soudha.

Replying to a call attention notice tabled by Amarnath Patil (BJP), the minister said the 56-year-old building is losing its sheen and mosaic tiles and marbles are worn out. The government has sought the principal chief architect’s opinion for renovation. The heritage structure would be restored as per expert suggestions, he said.

However, the members as well as chairman D H Shankara Murthy objected to minister using the term ‘heritage’ and said the officials were misleading the minister by terming the Vidhana Soudha as a ‘heritage’ structure. They said a building cannot be declared heritage structure unless it is more than 100 years old.