Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram   

Custodial battle over palace buildings

By Our Staff Reporter

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, APRIL 8. A prolonged legal battle between the royal family of erstwhile Travancore and the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) over possession of three palace buildings threatens to undermine the efforts of the Government to preserve the rich architectural heritage in the Fort area of the city.

The ownership tussle spilled out of the courtrooms on Friday, with the KSRTC being accused of trying to bypass a court verdict and gain possession of two acres of prime land in which the buildings are located.

The Sri Padmanabhaswamy Temple Trust under the ruling family of erstwhile Travancore alleged here on Friday that the KSRTC management was trying to circumvent a 1993 Supreme Court order directing it to vacate the premises.

At a press conference at the Pattom palace, the trust administrator, Parameswaran Nair, said the KSRTC management had launched a covert move to acquire the land and the buildings. The trust has moved the High Court to stay the acquisition.

Protected monuments

The three mansions caught in the custodial battle include the Nityachelavu bungalow, the Roadside building and the Rengavilasam palace.

Located in the Fort heritage zone, all the three were notified as protected monuments in 2003.

According to the trust, the palace had handed over the buildings to the KSRTC in 1965 under a short-term agreement. The KSRTC, however, failed to honour its commitment to return the buildings after the construction of the multi-storey Transport Bhavan.

After a long legal battle, the Supreme Court issued a verdict ordering the KSRTC to vacate the premises before August 3, 1994. The management responded by initiating acquisition proceedings. Mr. Nair said successive Governments had turned a deaf ear to pleas by the trust to resolve the issue.

Accusing the KSRTC of poor maintenance, he said the management had failed to maintain the heritage value of the buildings. "They have altered the structures, replaced the original materials and even damaged some of the buildings," he said.

Mr. Nair said the trust was banking on the Government to mediate and work out a settlement. "We have plans to convert the buildings into a pilgrim centre with cheap accommodation facilities," he added.

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