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Vidhana Soudha to get facelift

Last Updated 01 August 2014, 20:00 IST

The Public Works Department has allocated Rs 20 crore for sprucing up the iconic Vidhana Soudha building in Bangalore.

And the most important of civil works to be taken up by the department is the renovation of the 12 public toilets inside the 58-year-old structure.

While most of the works will be inside the building, the outer structure will get a special wash to restore the building to its former glory.

The PWD has provided funds to be spent primarily on three specific works – sanitary and civil works, and washing of the outer walls of the majestic stone building.

According to officials, teams from the PWD have visited the UB City mall, the Lalit Ashok hotel and other five-star properties in the City to replicate the best possible model of toilets for the convenience of the people who visit the Secretariat.

The designing for the toilets is presently with the Government Chief Architect to provide an optimum model. The PWD is spending Rs 15 lakh per toilet, and intends to replace the present flooring with hard-granite flooring and change the fittings in the toilets.

Further, the old, stone sanitary pipes and the temporary plastic pipes will be replaced with copper pipes. The pipes, it is said, have been overused and become brittle due to alkaline reaction. The PWD is also looking to replace the stone flooring with better tiles.

The PWD also plans to give the structure a plinthstone wash. According to officials, a proposal to wash the facade and other exteriors of the Soudha was suggested in 2010 when the BJP government was in power.

However, the proposal was shot down for fear of tarnishing the structure in any manner. But this time the PWD has decided to propose it again.  It is said that there is only one company based in the United States which provides the chemical and undertakes the washing contract.

The file for the renovation and revamping of the Vidhana Soudha will be prepared by the Chief Architect and sent to the Technical Advisory Committee (TAC). Once approved, the file will be dispatched to the chief minister for his assent and later placed before the Cabinet for its approval.

Tenders by Oct-end

Public Works Minister H C Mahadevappa said the government would call for tenders for the works by October-end. “We have called for a detailed estimate for the project, which includes the modernisation of the staircases, corridors and toilets. Once it comes, it will be placed before the TAC and the project taken forward,” he said.

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(Published 01 August 2014, 20:00 IST)

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