Fern house named after designer of Government Botanical Garden in Ooty temporarily closed

Fern House at GBG, Udhagamandalam closed due to safety concerns. Built in 1864, glass panes at risk of falling on visitors. Horticulture dept. seeks Rs. 7.5 lakhs to repair building, replace glass panes with fiberglass.

The Fern House at the Government Botanical Garden (GBG) in Udhagamandalam, named after the architect of the garden, William Graham McIvor, has been closed due to concerns for safety of visitors entering the building.

The Fern House, which is home to over a 100 different species of ferns, was named after McIvor to commemorate his contribution to the construction of the garden. Officials said that the building was one of the oldest structures within the GBG, built during the time of the British, in the year 1864.

However, due to the heavy wind and rain in the Nilgiris over the last few years, and a lack of maintenance, the glass panes that shelter the building are at risk of falling on visitors, which has prompted officials to close it down to ensure the safety of visitors.

“The glass house has been closed down to ensure the safety of visitors to the garden. The glass panes covering the roofs are at risk of collapsing on visitors,” said the official, adding that the Fern House was last repaired around three years ago. “However, heavy rain in the ensuing years has led to it being a risk to visitors,” added the official.

Officials from the horticulture department had sought funds amounting to ₹ 7.5 lakh to repair the building. However, the proposal had been returned as officials had sought to replace the glass panes with fiberglass. “We have been asked to write a new proposal with an estimate for replacing the existing glass panes, with new ones,” said the official.