When Tipu's armoury was translocated intact near Mysore

The 225-year-old majestic armoury of 18th centurys Mysore ruler Tipu Sultan was translocated intact from its original location at Srirangapatna to make way for a railway track between Mysore and Bengaluru.

"The masonry structure, where Tipu stored his arms, ammunition and weapons, including rockets and missiles during his 17-year reign (1782-99), was lifted from the ground and moved 130 metres (390 feet) from its original location to lay the track in March 2017," a South Western Railway (SWR) official told here.

Eldest son of Sultan Hyder Ali, Tipu (1750-1799) was the king of then Mysore region in southern India and died in the fourth Anglo-Mysore War in 1799 at Srirangapatna, about 20 km from Mysore, after series of victories in battles against the British rulers.

The 'Tiger of Mysore' also fought against Hindu kingdoms in the Deccan region to protect and enlarge his suzerainty.

Mysore is about 150 km southwest of Bengaluru.

"The 1,000-tonne square-shaped structure measuring 12 metres wide and 10 metres tall, came in the way of a 138 km railway line doubling project near the Srirangapatna railway station between Bengaluru and Mysuru, necessitating its translocation," recalled the official.

The track doubling project got delayed for 10 years as the armoury had to be shifted from the historic spot, which is 1.7 km away from the Cauvery bridge at Srirangapatna, Tipu's summer capital.

Though the Karnataka government permitted the railways to translocate the armoury to clear the place for laying the track, it had to take the consent of the National Monument Authority of India, as the structure was a rare heritage.

A project of this nature was unprecedented in India, prompting the railways to rope in the Institution of Engineers (India) for consultancy services and contact agencies executing such projects in the US.

The railways selected a joint venture company, India-based PSL Engineering and the US-based Wolfe for the project.

In March 2017, applying Unified Jacking System technology, PSL - Wolfe translocated the armoury at a cost of Rs 14 crore, with help of iron poles, rollers, jacks and hydraulic crane among others in nine days, moving at a snail's pace to prevent damage to its structure.

According to locals, the armoury, however, remains neglected as it has been abandoned by the authorities concerned.

"The armoury is in ruins as evident from weeds and shrubs that have grown in and around it since it was re-located two years ago. The surroundings also become a dumping spot for all in the absence of a watchman or security," a resident told on phone.

"As the armoury is a protected monument, the Archaeological Survey of India should maintain it with the help if the state government," added the official.

( With inputs from IANS )