New look for Basavanagudi Police Station

Old-world charm makes way for modern look

The octoganal-shaped Basavanagudi police station, with its open spaces and 30-odd trees around the main building, is all set for a ‘different’ look

BY HEMALATHA L
DH NEWS SERVICE, BANGALORE:


In T P Issar’s book “The City Beautiful”, Sir M N Krishna Rao Park is described as a big open space right in the midst of the residential areas. Further, in a chapter on Basavangudi, the writer says, “the original sites have been subdivided, many of the old houses demolished and modern construction put up. But one landmark remains - and that is the Basavangudi Police Station in Sir M N Krishna Rao Park”.

Even that landmark, the Basavanagudi police station, will look different in the next few months.

The main building that houses the Basavanagudi police station is a century old structure, octagonal in shape with a dome in the middle while the eight sides of the building have a steeply pitched roof of flat Mangalore tiles. The open space and 30-odd trees around the aesthetically built building add to the beauty of the place.

Will this structure be demolished? Will the trees be felled? City Police Commissioner S Mariswamy says, “Well, it is a heritage building and all the other structures are just attachments. So, the ‘attachments’ will be demolished and the main structure will be made strong”. He adds that the police station is going to be re-modelled at a cost Rs 40 lakh which Infosys is financing.

According to other official sources, plans are also on the cards to axe three to four full-grown trees to pave the way for the new structure. Forest department officials, however said that nobody has approached it seeking permission to cut trees in Basavanagudi area.

Mr S Mariswamy said that the civil work would begin soon and is expected to be completed in three to four months time. He also said that the construction work would not come in the way of functioning of the police posted in the police station.

The personnel will be working from a temporary structure put up next to the present structure. The traffic police personnel are already functioning from the Kempegowda police station, in Kempegowda Nagar.

It is not only the Basavanagudi police station which may have a new look.
Of the 88 police stations in the City, 50 are in for a face-lift. It has become necessary to remodel the stations as they are congested and lacked necessary infrastructure, the Commissioner pointed out.

He added that as it was difficult for the government to fund all the projects, corporate bodies were approached. As many as 20 corporate houses have come forward to help, he added.