BANGALORE: Shifting of Tippu’s Armoury is getting more complicated by the day as Archeological Survey of India (ASI) has directed the Railways to comply with Ancient Monuments Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958, and other rules while shifting the armoury and not to carry out any construction in the vicinity of within 100 m of national monuments.The Institution of Engineers chief project consultant Dr G Ashwathnarayana said, “The regional director of the ASI Dr Venkateshaiah visited the site on Monday along with officials of the Karnataka Archeological Department and Railways and instructed the officials to ensure that the site to which the monument would be shifted is at least 100 m away from national archeological sites.Around seven national archeological monuments in the town, including the Sri Ranganatha Temple, Obelix Tower and Fort Ruins, are situated close to the armoury.He added that the railway officials have requested the ASI to clarify if the selected site for shifting the armory should be located 100 m away from Sri Ranganatha main temple or its periphery as it is the only monument located nearest to the armoury.The railways had earlier decided to shift the armoury to a particular site, the owner of which demanded an exorbitant price. Sources say the owner demanded `90 lakh per acre though the existing market price is less than `20 lakh. Considering the delays in normal land acquisition processes the railways has decided to shift the armoury to land owned by the railways and are making efforts to trace the site that is acceptable to the ASI and the state archeological department.The railways in consultation with the ASI handed over the task of shifting the monument to The Institution of Engineers in early 2010 which suggested three different methods to shift the monument.The first method was dismantling the monument and reconstructing it at the chosen site using the same material; the second method was to cut the monument and assemble it using an advanced glue; the third being shifting the entire structure as it is.The railways is eager to shift the structure using the second method as there was stiff resistance for the first and third methods which are very expensive and have never been tried out in the country till now.Locals, however, want the monument to be shifted as it is. It remains to be seen if the railways succeeds in shifting the monument in the near future by overcoming all these obstacles as the deadline set for the completion of the project by the Union Minister of State for the Railways is fast approaching.
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