This story is from July 20, 2018

Heritage nod for gravel to concrete at Raj Bhavan

Heritage nod for gravel to concrete at Raj Bhavan
KOLKATA: The West Bengal Heritage Commission has decided to allow Raj Bhavan authorities replace the gravel pathway with a driveway paved with concrete. The decision came five months after the idea was first floated by Raj Bhavan officials to the state PWD.
The new plan, which maintains a balance between preserving heritage and addresses the problem of walking down the gravelled driveway, was arrived at a meeting between Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi, the heritage commission chairman and the PWD chief engineer.

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According to veteran artist Shuvaprasanna, who is the chairman of the West Bengal Heritage Commission, it was Tripathi’s idea to do away with the gravel pathway since visitors find it difficult to walk on it. “Gone are the days when people would go inside the mansion in horse-drawn carriages. It’s true that many face difficulty while walking down the gravelled path. Hence, we devised a plan that will retain the authentic heritage look as well as solve the problem,” said Shuvaprasanna.
Conservation architect Partha Ranjan Das had met the governor some time back on this issue. “Some two months back, we had discussed how to do a hard paving without altering the character of the mansion. I had suggested a technique called ‘unfinished terrazzo’ or ‘exposed aggregate finish’. This technique helps in retaining the original orange colour of gravels in the motorable road,” Das said.
However, this isn’t the technique that will finally be followed. “This technique was suggested by us. But the governor felt it wouldn’t serve the purpose. We respected his view and suggested another technique where the gravels — not stone chips — will be used in the concrete mix. The gravels will be broken down into smaller pieces and used in the mix,” Shuvaprasanna added.

The new plan is to divide the 40ft-wide driveway into three sections. A 12ft motorable road will be constructed in the centre. Flanking this will be two 14ft pathways that will retain the original gravels. In places where the driveway is 50ft wide, the width of the motorable road will be increased. “The governor’s house has sent us a plan of all the pathways. We will now send an official letter to the governor. The PWD department will then make a sample of the way things will happen,” Shuvaprasana added.
In 1799, Lord Wellesley, the then Governor General of India, had taken the initiative of building a palace. Designed by Capt. Charles Wyatt and on the lines of the Kedleston Hall of Derbyshire (the Curzon’s family mansion), the Raj Bhavan follows a Neoclassical style with distinct Baroque overtones. After four years, it was completed at a cost of £63,291 (about £3.8 million in today’s estimate). A century after its construction started, the most illustrious son of the Curzon family, George Nathaniel Curzon, came to occupy the Raj Bhavan as the Viceroy of India. With the shifting of capital to Delhi in 1911, it became the official residence of Lieutenant Governor of Bengal. Since Independence, it has served as the official residence of the governor of West Bengal.
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About the Author
Priyanka Dasgupta

Priyanka Dasgupta is the features editor of TOI Kolkata. She has over 20 years of experience in covering entertainment, art and culture. She describes herself as sensitive yet hard-hitting, objective yet passionate. Her hobbies include watching cinema, listening to music, travelling, archiving and gardening.

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