Big Ben for city

The Chief Minister S M Krishna paid a visit to the under-construction Vikasa Soudha yesterday, perhaps to get a glimpse of the CM's new office which he might not get an opportunity to occupy. On his visit, SMK directed Jayakar Jerome to examine the feasibility of the construction a clock tower on the lines of London's Big Ben which will not spoil the aesthetics of the Vidhana Soudha and its younger sibling, the Vikasa Soudha. He also asked for 15 nilgiri trees, that line the site near the (erstwhile) Gopala Gowda Circle and obstruct the frontage of the building from view, to be spared the axe, yes, you read that right. However, he condemned a copse of eucalyptus trees to their graves. The building that is expected to be completed by August will cost Rs. 70 crores and is powered entirely by a solar grid and uses rain harvesting and recycling for its water needs.