The Hindu 21.12.2010
Marie building renovation hit by delays
| It is an important heritage structure |
Work at the Marie building in Puducherry going on at a snail's pace.
PUDUCHERRY: Neglect on the part of the administration and delay in initiating renovation works has resulted in extensive damage to the Hotel De Ville on the Beach road, which now houses the Puducherry Municipality.
Popularly known as the Marie, the building is over 100 years old and is considered one of the most important heritage structures in the town. Last May, as a precaution, engineers belonging to Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH), which supervises several renovation works in the town, decided to build wooden propping and support the ceiling which had developed wide cracks.
A detailed inspection of the building was done by INTACH two years ago in association with an expert from Indian Institute of Technology-Madras and recommendations for its complete renovation were placed before the Municipality.
According to INTACH sources, the current state of the building was largely due to the neglect of their suggestions made as early as in 2004-05 when the building first started showing signs of damage. There was an immediate need to strengthen its foundation which had become weak owing to seepage of water. “If they had done the renovation then, much of the damage to the building could have been averted. Further, the cost that would be incurred in the complete renovation could have been saved.” Though works for strengthening the foundation was taken up and completed at a cost of Rs 15 lakh, very little has been done to begin the renovation. According to Chairperson of Puducherry Municipality B. Sridevi, there have been procedural delays in floating the tenders for the works though an amount of Rs 1.5 crore was sanctioned recently. The municipality is also unable to find a suitable alternate site for relocation.
“We thought of moving to the Kuber Kalyana Mandapam but the facilities there are inadequate. We are now looking at other places including our offices at Mudaliarpet as possible alternatives,” she said.
The municipality is now waiting for the PWD's sanction, which is mandatory for all projects which cost more than Rs 30 lakh. Ms. Sridevi said that once the approval is received, the council has to meet and pass a resolution for approving the entire process.
