BENGALURU: The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has taken up restoration work at Tipu Palace in Chamarajpet, on its list of protected monuments, to repair cracks in the roof. These cracks allegedly came up due to work taken up by the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Limited (BMRCL) at the adjoining KR Market metro station.
According to ASI officials, not only the roof, but the east-facing wall has also developed cracks. The palace is one of the oldest monuments in the city and several other factors like the age of the monument, the deterioration of materials as well as climate are other reasons for the cracks to develop, sources said.
Restoration work, expected to cost around Rs 20 lakh, is likely to be completed in a month. While the work is being carried out on the roof, tourists will not be restricted from visiting the palace but will be kept out of sections where support beams have been put up for the roof.
On an average, 1,500 tourists, including foreigners, visit the monument every day, and a total of 1,800 visited on Sunday, the ASI said. This magnificent palace was built by Hyder Ali Khan in 1781 AD and completed by his son Tipu Sultan in 1791 AD. According to an inscription found in the place, it is an ‘abode of happiness and envy of heaven’.
When contacted, Goutham Krishnamurthy, Conservation Assistant, ASI, Bengaluru Circle, said that restoration has been taken up under the guidance of K Moortheeswari, Superintending Archaeologist, Bengaluru Circle. For stopping the water leakage the top layer of dead lime concrete is being replaced with fresh lime concrete.
“We are carrying out pointing and grouting of the bottom layer and over that we are laying a 5-inch thick layer of lime concrete. Above the concrete, terracotta tiles are to be placed and over the tiles, a thin layer of lime plastering will be done,” Krishnamurthy said.
The cracks on the east-facing wall of the palace are also suspected to be due to the Metro work. But the cracks are stagnant and are not widening, so structurally there is no issue. Only surface cracks are there. An estimate of comprehensive work has been submitted to ASI and the work may begin next month for fixing the cracks on the wall, a source said.
As a part of a nationwide project, the ASI, which comes under the Ministry of Culture, has also started fencing of Tipu Palace. The compound wall between the Government Kannada Higher Primary School and Tipu Place is under construction to protect the monument.