Post-rain, a portion of Mysuru Palace roof collapses

With less than a week left for Dasara, a minor portion of the roof of the Mysuru Palace collapsed on Monday morning. It is said that the roof collapsed due to heavy rain on Sunday night.

A portion of the roof, on the left side of the palace, collapsed at 9.30 am. An employee said cracks have developed on the roof and walls of the Palace. The part of the roof collapsed due to heavy rain, he said.

Mysuru Palace Board Deputy Director (DD) T S Subramanya said the Palace building was 100 years old and is 147 feet tall. It is not easy to take up repair works immediately due to the moisture content in the walls as the rains have been pouring for the past couple of months.

“The chances of more damage are high if we take up repair works right now,” the DD said, adding that the repair works will be undertaken after consulting experts.

The Palace is built in a systematic manner and the chances of rainwater leakage from the roof are less. The roof allows free flow of rainwater, he said.

The DD said, usually, minor repair works are undertaken during rainy season in the Palace.

The Palace Board as well as the royal family take up regular maintenance works, jointly. Since a case is pending before the court, no permanent solution has been possible, the DD said.

Historian P V Nanjaraja Urs said, there is a leakage in the Palace’s Durbar Hall and Kalyana Mantap also, due to the damage of a glass roof.

“Who will be held responsible, if there is any major damage to the Palace? The court has no objection to take up repair works. Thus, the authorities must fix the problem immediately,” he demanded.