This
imposing edifice built almost entirely of dressed Bangalore
granite is a tribute to temple architecture. Housing
the Legislative Chambers of the state government, this
46 meter high seat of the government is Bangalore's
best known landmark. This is one of Bangalore's most
important buildings. Kengal Hanumanthaiah, Chief Minister
of the then Mysore State between 1951-1956 was responsible
for the concept, the structure and the setting of this
magnificent building. There are four domes on all the
four corners. The main entrance is overshadowed by the
four headed lion,the symbol of Indian sovereignty. It
houses 22 departments and 300 rooms. Supervised and
executed by engineers and architects led by the then
Chief Engineer, late B.R.Manickam of the Public Works
Department, the Vidhana Soudha is an arresting monument.
The building project was started in 1952 and took five
thousand labourers, 1500 chisellers, masons and wood
carvers four years to complete. Built entirely from
Bangalore granite in the Dravidian style, it has floral
motifs on stone carvings drawn from the celebrated temple
craft of South India.
Total
floor area: 5,50,505 square feet. Length: 700 feet. Width:
350 feet. Height from floor level to top of central dome:
150 feet. The project begun in 1952 was completed in 1956.
Recently
The Karnataka government has constructed a replica, named
Vikasa Soudha, to the south of the building. Initiated
by the then Chief Minister, S M Krishna, and inaugurated
in February 2005, it is intended to be an annexe housing
some of the ministries and legislative offices.
VIKASA
SOUDHA
The
Vikasa Soudha was inaugurated on February 05, 2004 by the Karnataka
Governor, T.N. Chaturvedi, in the presence of the then Chief Minister,
S.M. Krishna. The eight-storeyed new block has ornamental outer wall
and resembles Vidhana Soudha.
Mr.
Krishna laid the foundation stone for the Vikasa Soudha on August
30, 2001.
The
South Block will have a grid interactive solar power system, with
regular power supply as backup. The officials of the Public Works
Department said the building would use half the plant capacity.
Extra
power would be fed to the State Grid. But the corridors do no get
natural light. There will be rainwater harvesting in the building,
in compliance with recent Government moves towards water conservation.
The
then Chief Minister Mr. Krishna was personally involved in the decor
of the Chief Minister's chambers. The main hall of the Vikasa Soudha
has a colourful map of the State.
The
other features are the South Block has eight floors spread over an
area of 7.5 acres, with a built-up area of 58,274 sq m. It has 360
rooms overlooking four courtyards. There will be three cafeterias.
The
building has a sophisticated fire fighting system and the elevators
installed there can carry between 13 and 20 passengers each. It will
have a printing press. A pedestrian subway connects it to the Vidhana
Soudha.
Vikasa
Soudha, the new South Block of Vidhana Soudha build at a cost of Rs
148 crore. The South Block is built in an area of about 7.5 acres.
It is an eight-storeyed structure with outer walls of ornamental stone
work similar to the Vidhana Soudha facade.
The
Vikasa Soudha is expected to save the government exchequer of Rs 5.50
crore now paid towards rental charges per annum for several government
offices functioning in private buildings which will be moved to the
new building.
The
granite stones for the ornamental stone work was specially selected
from quarries located in Hesaraghatta, Avalahalli, Mallasandra and
Koira.
It
will have hydro-pneumatic system for water supply and 100 KW solar
power grid system, making it the first government building to have
these systems.
There
is parking facility for about 600 cars in the three basement floors.
Vikasa
Soudha came into limelight recently when tennis champions Mahesh Bhupathi
and Sania Mirza played a promotional match on a make-shift tennis
court laid between the imposing Vidhana Soudha and Vikasa Soudha.
