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.
