Civil society urges Nitish to spare Collectorate demolition

Highlighting the vulnerabilities of unprotected heritage buildings in the city, INTACH and members of civil society, including eminent historians, architects and former judges have urged Chief Minister Nitish Kumar to spare the demolition of centuries-old historic Patna Collectorate.
Parts of the nearly 200-year-old buildings are remnants of Dutch structure and Bihar government's recent decision to dismantle and replace them with a high-rise modern complex has sent a wave of resentment among scholars, historians and commoners alike.
Patna Chapter of the New Delhi-based Indian National Trust for Art and Culture (INTACH) today sent a strongly-worded petition to Kumar to immediately scrap the impending demolition plan saying it would set a "very bad precedent and further jeopardise the fate of other heritage buildings in the city and eventually in the state".

The petition supported by noted historians Narayani Gupta, Surendra Gopal, justice (retd) Uday Singh, former bureaucrats, and several academicians, journalists, advocates, doctors and other professionals, has also recommended to instead restore the Collectorate to its original glory and "save it for posterity".
"We have sent an appeal letter to Chief Minister Nitish Kumar urging him to reconsider the government's decision. The place is steeped in history and one of the last remains of Dutch history of Patna. In fact, the place should ideally be kept as a tourist site, given its choice location on the bank of the Ganga," INTACH Patna Chapter Convener, J K Lall, told PTI.

"As one of the custodians of our city's heritage, we appeal to our Chief Minister to reconsider this decision of the government taken in haste with scant regard for history of the city and without much prudence, and not run a bulldozer over a city landmark but preserve it proudly as our collective heritage," the letter says.

Soon after reports of dismantling made headlines, INTACH Patna Chapter held a meeting of the Executive Committee and passed a resolution to approach the Bihar government to persuade them to reconsider the decision.
"The committee also decided that in case the authorities do not respond to the appeal, suitable legal step would be explored for preventing the dismantling," it said.

Besides, eminent people endorsing the restoration proposal directly through INTACH, several hundreds of people, from Patna to California have shown their support via an online campaign -- 'Save Historic Patna Collectorate' -- led by the civic society.
INTACH has also sent copies of the appeal letter to Bihar Chief Secretary, Minister and Principal Secretary of Art, Culture & Youth Department, Minister and Principal Secretary of Building Construction Department in the state government, Commissioner, Patna Division and District Magistrate, Patna.
With high ceilings and hanging skylights, the Patna Collectorate buildings, spread over nearly 12 acres, are a unique specimen of architecture carrying a history of over 200 years within its walls.

And, alongside Patna College's main administration building and the remains of the opium godown in Gulzarbagh, the three comprise the last surviving signatures of Dutch history of the capital city.
"Historical buildings around the world are being preserved and by restoring the Collectorate and other heritage buildings and declaring them officially as a city heritage, Bihar could also take a lead in the country itself, given the status of old buildings in various cities of India," the letter further says.
A similar move was made by the Bihar government in 2011, which had also faced resistance from several quarters including the District Board Patna.

INTACH said the decision to save and restore it for posterity would also "send a positive message among general people as much as scholars and historians, about the government's seriousness in preserving the city's and ultimately Bihar's multi-faceted history".
Historian Gupta, who has supported the campaign, says, "complementary structures can always be built around existing ones. The situation in Patna is of course, reflective of the scenario throughout the country. And, government and people, both must accept blame for their pitiable condition."
The petition also appeals to the government to carry out a "systematic listing of heritage buildings in Patna and bring out a state legislation for preserving unprotected heritage buildings, both public and private, which do not fall under the ambit of either Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) or the state archeology department, most of which are facing threat of demolition".

Last year, a similar attempt by Telangana government to dismantle Hyderabad's Esmaria General Hospital was countered by INTACH, which had suggested taking "legal recourse" if there were any attempts to raze the over 90-year-old historic structure.
INTACH Chairman Maj Gen (retd) L K Gupta says PILs have saved a few heritage structures from the wrecking ball.
"The red-coloured Attara Kacheri built in the late 1860s by the British as a Mysore government office was ordered to be demolished in the early 1980s by the Karnataka High Court, which had moved into it after independence.
"But, it was peoples love for a city heritage and their perseverance that ultimately saved the building and the High Court later even praised the petitioners," Gupta said.

This was a landmark judgement in 1980s, because not only it was the first PIL in the Court, but also because the case was heard in the very same building that was proposed to be demolished.