Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru

Mangaluru, Apr 21: A landmark that gave an entire locality its name — the iconic ‘Urva Store’ building — is being demolished, marking the end of an era in Mangaluru.

Located near the road leading towards Ashoknagar, the decades-old structure had become synonymous with the surrounding area, now officially known as Urva Store. This locality, home to the MUDA office, Zilla Panchayat, Lokayukta police station, Dr Ambedkar Bhavan, and several academies, owes its name to a humble grocery shop once housed in this building.

The demolition of the building is part of the road-widening project between Urva Store and Ashoknagar, which is now nearing completion. According to sources, the removal of the old Urva Store building will be the final step in completing the project.

Built in the 1970s by M Subraya Pai, the building initially hosted a grocery shop called ‘Urva Store’ in the Urwa area. The shop also operated a chit fund business and was once referred to as ‘Urwa Fundangadi’. As the shop became a central point for commuters, conductors began referring to the stop as ‘Urva Store’, a name that eventually became the identity of the entire locality.

“Before 1970, there was an older structure on this site, which was demolished to build the current building. The ground floor housed the grocery store, while the upper floor accommodated the ESI hospital and tutorial centres like typewriting schools,” recalled renowned theatre personality Mime Ramdas.

Changing face of Mangaluru

Mangaluru has seen its iconic landmarks slowly disappear over the years. Once home to nearly 10 theatres within a 3-4 km radius, the city has lost many of its cinematic treasures like Amrith, Platinum, New Chitra, Central, and Jyothi, which have all shut down or been repurposed. Similarly, several heritage tile factories that once defined Mangaluru's industrial landscape have closed their doors.

As the city continues to evolve, the demolition of the Urva Store building marks yet another chapter in the transformation of Mangaluru’s cultural and architectural identity.