Thiruvananthapuram corporation okays three-storey bungalow at Barton Hill

Thiruvananthapuram: If all goes right, the capital city will soon get a Mayor's Bhavan. Rather than being the official residence of only Thiruvananthapuram mayor, it will be the abode of all six mayors in the state whenever they are here.
The council meeting on Tuesday had approved the proposal to entrust the city-based Kumar group to prepare the detailed project report (DPR) and plan for the bungalow near the Barton Hill engineering college.

The premises sprawling over an acre will have a three storey bungalow with camp office, meeting room and bedrooms for lords of the cities. “It has been over ten years since; the plan was on the corporation’s cards. First, it was planned at Jagathy, then inside Putharikandam Maithanam and we hope this gets materialised now,” said a senior corporation engineer. Kozhikode already has a British-era Mayor’s Bhavan, but the civic body chief doesn’t stay there leaving it for official engagements. Certain cities like Mumbai had dedicated palaces of the erstwhile royal family to their respective mayors.

“As the city grows, it requires the civic body chief closer to his seat of power. For instance, Bengaluru is in the process of establishing Mayor's Bhavan in the centre of the city due to traffic snarls," another official said. "Thiruvananthapuram, the biggest corporation in the state with 100 wards, also have a mayor who hails from the fringe ward of Kazhakoottam. So it’s a necessity, not a luxury.”