SHIMLA: The local municipal corporation’s fear that it may lose the
historic Town Hall building, constructed in 1908, is delaying the
crucial restoration work the structure requires. While the tourism
department has asked the civic body to vacate the building by September
or October to start the restoration work, the latter is awaiting an
undertaking from the state government that the building would be handed
back to it on completion of repair work.

While the Asian Development Bank
(ADB) after approving Rs 18.5 crore for restoration of the Town Hall
building and beautification of core Mall Road area will be making a
presentation before the newly-elected councillors and the mayor on
August 1, the state government on its part is yet to respond to the
request from the MC to provide suitable space for the time being and to
give an undertaking stating that the Town Hall would be handed back to
MC once restoration work is completed.

Confirming that the tourism department has requested to vacate the premises by September or October month, Shimla
municipal commissioner M P Sood said, “After the restoration of Gaiety
Theatre, space occupied there by the MC was not handed over to us and
this has already resulted in shortage of space in the present location,”
he said. He added that the government has also been requested to
provide suitable accommodation till the restoration work is completed.

Under the ADB-funded project, the historic Town Hall building would be
restored to its original design by removing additions made over the
years, while the asphalt cover over Mall Road would be replaced with
European cobbled stone pattern. Of the total approved amount, around Rs
14 crore would be spent on the restoration of Town Hall buildings, and
the remaining Rs 5 crore on beautification of Mall Road.

The
historic Town Hall building was built in 1908 with the use of stone and
timbers and over the years many changes have been made in the building.
The building has now become unsafe as in the past one of its windows
caved in, thus making immediate restoration work mandatory.

“After carrying out structural safety tests, the glazing, roofing and
flooring would be done according to the original specifications.
Complete restoration of the heritage building would be done after
removing the additional constructions made later,” said a senior
official looking after the project.

Tourism director Arun Sharma
said the building will be restored and conserved aesthetically, keeping
in mind the original architecture. He said the exteriors and interiors
of the building would undergo massive restoration work as per the
original plan.

Project Plan:

Three plazas to be created between the lift area and DC office on Mall Road.

Pavement along the Mall Road to be constructed using cobble stones.

Fountain would be installed near Town Hall, plazas.

Rest sheds to be constructed using wrought iron