This story is from August 8, 2019

Patna Collectorate to get a modern makeover

Patna Collectorate to get a modern makeover
Patna Collectorate
PATNA: The historic Patna Collectorate complex on the banks of the Ganga, which started life as a Dutch trading post in the 18th century, will take to its grave untold stories of the city’s colonial past when its walls are pulled down to make way for a modern complex amid opposition from historians and heritage lovers.
This complex, built by the Dutch East India Company, along with Patna College’s administrative building and the remnants of the opium godown in Gulzaribagh, are the last surviving links to Patna’s Dutch history, says Chitranjan Prasad Sinha, historian and former director of KP Jayaswal Research Institute.

The state art, culture and youth affairs department in its book ‘Patna: A Monumental History’ in 2010, had described the Collectorate as a heritage structure. The old Judge’s Court building, which is now used as record room, is one of the Dutch constructions that in the initial years served as a salt petre godown. The Roman Doric pillars on both sides of the building’s verandah are rare specimens of Dutch architecture.
The complex, which has played a key role in the modern history of Bihar, also had a brush with Hollywood when a part of Richard Attenborough’s Oscar-winning 1982 film ‘Gandhi’ was shot here, according to the Patna chapter of The Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (Intach), which works for heritage conservation in the country.
However, the state government which has already awarded a Rs 200 crore contract for the redevelopment of the Patna Collectorate, cites the dilapidated condition of the existing structure for the move.
“Roofs of several buildings have fallen off on their own. This building (which houses DM’s office) is still comparatively better but sometimes, plasters fall from the ceiling. Once the construction work begins, we will have to shift to Hindi Bhawan,” says Patna DM Kumar Ravi.

In a concession to its heritage structure attributes, officials claimed that design of the new building has been inspired by the 200-year old architecture of the existing complex. The detailed project report (DPR) of the building has been prepared by a Delhi-based architecture firm, which claims to have drawn a blueprint for a modern building with a period style inspired by Dutch and British architecture of the existing complex.
The construction work on the multi-storey building is slated to begin as soon as the state building construction department gets an environment clearance certificate from State Level Environment Impact Assessment Authority, says an official.
The controversy surrounding the heritage status of the building erupted when the state government came up with the plan to redevelop the historic site.
In 2016, Intach along with members of the civil society, including historians, architects, and former bureaucrats, staged several protests on the issue. Intach and London-based Gandhi Foundation had separately written to CM Nitish Kumar urging him to spare the building.
JK Lal, convenor of Patna chapter of Intach, told this newspaper that he will send a fresh letter to CM Nitish Kumar urging him not to demolish the heritage structure. “We are well-aware about the new plan for Collectorate building. But it’s a heritage site especially the Dutch buildings and it should be protected. We will protest,” Lal said.
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About the Author
Faryal Rumi

She is working with the Times of India as a Senior Digital Content Creator on the Patna desk.

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