Start restoring Devaraja Market and Lansdowne Building in Mysuru, don’t appeal against SC verdict: MGP to Karnataka govt

Welcoming the Supreme Court’s decision directing the restoration of Mysuru’s iconic Devaraja Market and Lansdowne Building instead of demolition, the Mysore Grahakara Parishat (MGP) appealed to the Karnataka government not to raise any objections and immediately begin conservation work.

Founder and working chairman of MGP, Dr. Bhamy V. Shenoy said that the decision is a relief not only to heritage conservationists but also to the people of Mysuru, who consider the two structures as a part of the cultural identity of the city.

Parishat, who is part of the citizens’ movement seeking preservation of heritage buildings, said both INTACH and IIT Roorkee have found that around 70% of the structures can be repaired and restored while preserving the existing foundation.

Making a comparison with the restoration of Angkor Wat temples in Cambodia, Dr. Shenoy said that even badly damaged historical structures elsewhere have been successfully preserved, proving that the restoration of Devaraja Market and Lansdowne Building is possible.

Criticizing the State Government for challenging the Karnataka High Court’s August 2023 order, MGP said the delay has led to further deterioration of buildings in the last three years. The government was called on to begin restoration without further delay and to entrust the work to institutions with world-class conservation expertise.

Also Dr. Shenoy called for the appointment of a commission to examine leases and tenancy issues before renewing contracts in the market area. He said identifying beneficiaries and rationalizing rents would be a complex exercise and should be handled efficiently in the interest of Mysuru City Corporation (MCC).

Pressure is mounting on the Karnataka government to take urgent steps towards restoration and there is growing demand from various quarters for work to begin without delay.

Mysuru MP Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar visited Devaraja Market in Mysuru on May 11, 2026. | Photo Credit: Special Editing

Mysuru MP Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar, who visited Devaraja Market on May 11, was among those who demanded immediate restoration of the two heritage structures.

The high court’s order dated May 4, 2026, ordering the restoration of Devaraja Market and Lansdowne Building, came as a relief to traders and tenants who had opposed the demolition and reconstruction, citing the market’s heritage value and architectural significance.

The Lansdowne Building remained inaccessible to traders for several years after part of the structure collapsed, forcing many to operate businesses from makeshift shops near the site.