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Dalhousie Square, Calcutta

A Heritage of the Nation

Manish Chakraborti

Conference "The Conservation of Colonial Cities": Colonial cities in and around India

Where: Mumbai, Auditorium, National Gallery of Modern Art, MumbaiWhen: 27th 28th february 2003

Organised by: Max Mueller Bhavan Mumbai, Urban Design Research Institute (UDRI)

Contact: Manish Chakraborti ([email protected] )


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Vanishing in the urban chaos of modern Calcutta, the conservation and urban

revitalisation of the historic city centre of Dalhousie Square

is indeed significant.


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Conservation of

Heritage Zone of

Dalhousie Square

Calcutta

Towards a

Management Plan

Action Research in Conservation of Heritage


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Introducing

Dalhousie Square

Calcutta

Evolution of the city


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The Indian Quarter of the city


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Calcutta 1690 - 1757


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Dalhousie Square arounsd the

Tank, 17th century


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Fort from the River, where GPOstands today


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St. Annes Church with the Fort William at the rear


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Calcutta 1757 - 1798

St Johns Church and churchyard

Writers Buildings


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The TankThe Tank


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The Old Mint


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The Government House, inspired from Curzons House Kaddleston Hall in Derbyshire


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The Old Court House Street


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The historic city center in relation to the city

The present Fort William


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Dalhousie Square

The historic city

centre of Calcutta

A heritage zone of

the Nation

Hi k


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Firstin Dalhousie Square

HERITAGE OF THE NATION

Hickey

Hickeys Gazette was first published

here

First newspaper which completed

100 years, The Englishman, was

published from here from 1833

1934

Electricity was introduced here

when Flury and Co demonstrated

the use of power in 1878

Use of gas was first demonstrated

here in the early 1900s

The first Broadcasting Corporation,

the Indian Broadcasting

Corporation, was set up here inAugust 1,1927

The first escalator was introduced

in the Reserve Bank of India

Nobel Laureate CV Raman had his

first job at the Accountant General

Office here before becoming a

physicist

Indias first hotel, Great Eastern

Hotel, was set up in 1840

The first English playhouse was set

up at the Mission Road / Lalbazar

crossing in 1745

The first bank, Bank of

Hindusthan, was set up in 1770

_________


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The Classical Dalhousie Square


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19

th

centuryDalhousie Square

still largely survives


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Tank Square today


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Tank Square, yesterday


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Netaji Subhas Bose Road, today


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Clive Street, yesterday


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Treasury Building, today


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Treasury Building, yesterday


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The Restored Town Hall, today


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The Town Hall, yesterday


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St Johns Church and churchyard


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St Johns Church yesterday


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Imperial Bank, Bank of Bengal, demolished


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Imperial

Bank

Dalhousie

Institute

Abandoned warehouses

Demolition & Neglect

of heritage resource

Currency building

Unlisted warehouses under threat of

demolition

Tank square ill kept


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Conditions of our footpath andpublic utilities like telephone meter

No well paved footpath

for the pedestrians

Public utility on the

pavement block the

right of way for the

pedestrians

Badly designed and

non-uniform grill (in

design and color)

Encroachments byfood stalls and

squatters on the

footpath


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The Currency Building

overnightly destroyed


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From Insensitive destruction

to

a growing concern forprotection of heritage


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Kolkata Municipal Corporation

Under the Kolkata Municipal Corporation Act the following provisions for

heritage preservation are incorporated

Constitution of Kolkata Municipal Corporation Heritage

Conservation Committee in 1998 headed by Municipal Commissioner

and 7 members

Prepares a Draft Regulations for Heritage Buildings and Precincts

List of 1300 heritage buildings in CMA

Inventory of Heritage Buildings

Review of conservation / development plan of listed heritage

buildings

Inspect and monitors conservation works

Provision of incentives like tax exemption, change of compatible use,

transferable development rights (TDR).


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Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority

Passes a Heritage Act, 2002 whose jurisdiction is the State of

West Bengal.

Forms a Heritage Commission to identify and list heritage

buildings in different districts.

Identified key Heritage Zones in the Vision 2025 Plan

namelyDalhousie Square, Riverfront Area , College Street Area,

Initiated the Riverfront Development removal of

encroachment and landscaping the edge of the River.


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Public Works Department, Government of West Bengal

A large number of Government Institutions housed in listed

heritage buildings are maintained by the PWD

Ex: Writers Building, Government House, Legislative Assembly, The High Court,etc

Roads are maintained by the PWD

PWD are often the implementation arm of conservation work

for the State Archaeology

Prepares the Government Schedule of Rates for various civil

works followed by all the departments of the State

Government including conservation. Presently working on a

separate schedule of rates for conservation.

Recently restored the Prinsep Monument

Has plans for undertaking an underground parking (under

BOT scheme) near the Tank Square.

Has Plans for beautification and landscaping of the Tank and

its surroundngs


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Archaeological Survey of India

Protects, Conserves and Maintains 117 Monuments in WestBengal and 1 Monument (Metcalfe Hall) in Calcutta under theAncient Monument Act.

Plans to take up and protect the dismantled Currency Building

in Calcutta along with two more Synagogues in Dalhousie Square

Plans to propose the Bishnupur Group of Temples for UNESCO

World Heritage Inscription. (West Bengal is not represented

among the List of World Heritage Sites in India)

Has trained conservation professionals and expertise

Conserves and Maintains Victoria Memorial under DepositWork


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On going conservation project

Town Hall

Metropolitan Building

General Post Office

Metcalfe Hall

Treasury Building

Currency Building

House of Vivekananda

House of Vidyasagar

House of Rabindranath Tagore

Revival Of Star Theatre

Sovabazar Natmandir


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The Town Hall

Restored in 1997. Funded by auction of paintings by a noted artist to

Corporate Houses.


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Calcutta Panorama

Town Hall gifted in 2002

with a museum on the

evolution of the city and its

social, cultural and

political significance


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The Metropolitan Building

Scheme drawn out. Restoration has begun with one panel. Funded

by the Life Insurance Corporation of India


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The General Post Office, Calcutta

Recentlyrestored by the

Post and

Telegraph

Department


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The Metcalfe Hall, Calcutta

The only protected Monument by the ASI in Calcutta. Funded byASI


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The Treasury Building

Conservation work in its planning stage. Funded by the CAG office, GOI


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The Currency Building

In the process of being protected by the ASI.


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The House of Vidyasagar

Conserved in 1999. Funded by Deptt of Higher Education, Government of West

Bengal


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The House of Vivekananda

Conservation is in its final phase. Funded by Ramkrishna Mission,

Ministry of Culture, GOI and West Bengal Government


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Revival of Star Theatre

The work started in Nov 2002. Funded by KMC


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NGOs in conservation and city improvement

Society for PreservationConcern for Calcutta

CBE (Centre for Built Environment)

PUBLIC ( People United for Better Living in Calcutta)

INTACH ( Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage)

ICC (Indian Chamber of Commerce)

ARCH (Centre for Action Research in Conservation of Heritage)


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Society for Preservation

Founded by noted historian Nisith Ranjan Roy. Involved in

lectures, publications, exhibitions and campaign for conservation of

heritage buildings and sites in Calcutta.

Concern for Calcutta

Organisation of concerned citizens of Calcutta. Involved in proactive

campaigning against inappropriate urban planning, traffic, and organisingurban festival like the New Market Festival and River Festival with the

Government and other organisations.

CBE (Centre for Built Environment)

Involved in writing, publications, planning advice, workshops, lectures,seminars and futuristic proposals for citys problems


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PUBLIC ( People United for Better Living in Calcutta)

mission is to improve the environment of Calcutta and promote sustainable

urban living. Monitor air and noise pollution, land-use planning, the protectionof open spaces and the conservation of heritage buildings.

INTACH ( Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage)

The Calcutta Chapter of INTACH is involved in heritage awareness and

acts as a catalyst to facilitate conservation initiatives in the city. It is

involved in documentation, heritage awareness programmes and assist in

conservation through its network of professionals


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ICC (Indian Chamber of Commerce)

ARCH (Centre for Action Research in Conservation of Heritage)

ARCH is working towards the conservation and awareness of heritage buildings and places. We campaign for reconciling conservation with development

through initiating community planning and assisting in managing change of urban environment .

We also have the expertise in the following: Documentation and Research, Heritage Walks, Restoration and Training Workshops.

ARCH is working towards the conservation and awareness of heritage

buildings and places. We campaign for reconciling conservation with

development through initiating community planning and assisting in

managing change of urban environment . It has expertise in the

following: Documentation and Research, Heritage Walks, Restoration

and Training Workshops.


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Conservation of

Heritage Zone of

Dalhousie Square

Calcutta

Towards a

Management Plan



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Dalhousie Square

The historic city

centre of Calcutta

A heritage zone of

the Nation


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ASI takes over the dismantled currency building

along with two other Jewish synagogues in Dalhousie Square

making it 4 number of monuments under protection by the ASI in Calcutta


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Getting River Back to the cit

Initiatives by the CMDA, Post Trust, CMC for River front development

Other Initiatives


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Other Initiatives

1 Town Hall gifted with the Kolkata Panorama a city museum

2 GPO is restored to its former glory

3 The restored Metcalfe Hall has a publication counter and a brick museum

4 The forgotten fountain is repaired

5 CMC heritage committee ratifies the list of 1300 listed heritage buildings in

Calcutta which recognises Dalhousie Square as a heritage zone under

LUDCP

6 The Heritage Act gets enacted by the State Government and a State

Heritage Commission is formed.

7 NGOs are more active in heritage preservation and conservation

8 Media is taking on heritage stories actively.

9 Heritage Awareness walks are here to stay

10 International Organisations / individuals recognises the heritage resources

of Calcutta


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Envisioning a future

ofDalhousie Square, Calcutta

Improving the city center ofDalhousie Square

Heritage Zone is clearly very close to many of our

hearts.

Here are the things we would like to see.

We have only included things that we know are

possible to achieve.

City Centre VISION


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An improved landscaping around the tank square.

A better designed and durable footpath for pedestrians.A permanent mark on the street along the heritage walk

Interpretation and Information board.

City Centre VISIONA better designed, managed and enhanced city centre image

NOW


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SIGNS / PLAQUES / MAPS

PERMANENT MARK ON THE

STREET ALONG THE HERITAGEWALK

LANDCAPING OF

TANK SQUARE

DURABLE /

BETTER

DESIGNED

FOOTPATH

Durable /

better designed

footpath

City Centre VISION


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SOON

Well designed street furniture, viz

street lights uniform road dividers/ railings base of existing trees

bus stand, telephone kiosks letter boxes dustbins

More going on in the evening. Lighting of significant

heritage buildings

Concerts at the un-utilised churches, town hall in the

evening.

Arts and Cultural festival using thehistorical ensemble of

buildings and historic settings

y

A better designed, managed and enhanced city centre image

Well designed street furniture


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g street lights uniform road dividers/ railings base of existing trees bus stand

telephone kiosks letter boxes dustbins

Traditional letter box to

be continued

Telephone Kiosk

Selective Pedestrianisation Red pigment on tar road

Seating arrangementWalkway promenade

More going on in the evening. Lighting of

significant heritage buildings


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Concerts at the un-utilised churches,town hall in the evening.Arts and Cultural Festival using the historicalensemble of buildings and historic settings

g g g

City Centre VISION


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LATER

Renewal and adaptive reuse of redundant warehouses

Faade improvement of listed heritage buildings.

City Centre VISION

A better designed, managed and enhanced city centre image


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Adaptive reuse of redundant warehousesfor gallery, housing office space, arts centre.


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FAADE REPAIR SCHEME


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CONSERVING THE HISTORIC CITY

CENTRE CALCUTTA

2002 - 2020


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What could be The Driving Engine for its

implementation and management?

Dalhousie Square Association

a collective body, which aims at generatingpublic and corporate involvement towards the

conservation of this historic heritage zone


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This is a presentation by ARCH,

an acronym for

Action Research in Conservation of Heritage.

F


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ARCH is working specifically towards

awareness and conservation of heritage

buildings and zones in Calcutta and West

Bengal

ARCH campaigns for reconciling

conservation with development through

initiating, community planning,

networking and assisting in managing

change of urban environment

ARCH has been actively pursuing the

following objectives namely since

1999Documentation, Research,

Publication, Heritage Walks, TrainingWorkshops in Repair of Heritage

Buildings and Community Involvement

for Conservation

From

Footsteps (walking tour)

toUrban Revitalisation

of Dalhousie Square


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Is this your vision ?

Lets join hands

to make them happen


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ARCH is recipient of

the IFA (India

Foundation for theArts, Banagalore)

Award for 2002 2003

For Documentation of

architectural heritage

buildings in Dalhousie

Square. This document

is presently underway

which will be used

while or if nominating

Dalhousie Square tointernational

organisations like

UNESCO or WMF.

Thank youFrom


AA 171A Salt Lake, Calcutta 700 064

Tel: 337 5757 / 355 0915 / 355 3188

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dalhousie-kolkata-1210752882277219-8