<p>The government is planning to hand over the management of the iconic Lalitha Mahal Hotel to private players.</p>.<p>The government will take a final decision in the cabinet sub-committee meeting to be chaired by Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on June 14.</p>.<p>The palace building was under the custody of Ashok Group of the India Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC) till 2018. The union government then made a futile attempt to hand it over to private parties.</p>.<p>But the state government took over the building later and it is now under the custody of Jungle Lodges and Resorts (JLR). </p>.<p>According to sources, the government is now planning to hand it over to private players.</p>.<p>Lalitha Mahal was built for the stay of viceroys and other state guests.</p>.<p>The palace is modelled on St Paul’s Cathedral in London. The building was equipped with a hand-operated heritage lift imported from England in 1921.</p>.<p>However, the palace was converted into a heritage hotel in 1974. </p>.<p>The iconic structure entered its centenary year without any celebrations due to continuous rainfall and outbreak of Covid-19, according to M Appanna, chairman of JLR.</p>.<p>A slew of programmes were planned in November for the celebrations, but they could not be held, he said.</p>.<p>The chairman said it has been planned to instal Krishnaraja Wadiyar’s statue in front of the palace and a proposal has been sent to the government in this regard.</p>
<p>The government is planning to hand over the management of the iconic Lalitha Mahal Hotel to private players.</p>.<p>The government will take a final decision in the cabinet sub-committee meeting to be chaired by Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on June 14.</p>.<p>The palace building was under the custody of Ashok Group of the India Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC) till 2018. The union government then made a futile attempt to hand it over to private parties.</p>.<p>But the state government took over the building later and it is now under the custody of Jungle Lodges and Resorts (JLR). </p>.<p>According to sources, the government is now planning to hand it over to private players.</p>.<p>Lalitha Mahal was built for the stay of viceroys and other state guests.</p>.<p>The palace is modelled on St Paul’s Cathedral in London. The building was equipped with a hand-operated heritage lift imported from England in 1921.</p>.<p>However, the palace was converted into a heritage hotel in 1974. </p>.<p>The iconic structure entered its centenary year without any celebrations due to continuous rainfall and outbreak of Covid-19, according to M Appanna, chairman of JLR.</p>.<p>A slew of programmes were planned in November for the celebrations, but they could not be held, he said.</p>.<p>The chairman said it has been planned to instal Krishnaraja Wadiyar’s statue in front of the palace and a proposal has been sent to the government in this regard.</p>