Registered with the Registrar of Newspapers for India under R.N.I 53640/91
Vol. XXVI No. 22, March 01-15, 2017
Restoration – police style
– A Special Correspondent
At a time when there is no organised effort of any kind to protect the heritage structures in the city, we must be thankful that the police in Tamil Nadu has proved to be more sensitive and has made a determined effort to preserve whatever heritage buildings it controls. But it is also quite evident that its restoration activities are not being guided by expertise of any kind. There is plenty of zeal, but it would be much better if there was also some knowledge on how to go about conservation.
The restoration of the DGP Building on the Marina is well known and does not need repetition here. But it did see the police beginning to look at their heritage in a new light. Thus, care was taken to preserve the Police Commissioner’s Office (on Adithanar Salai), even as a high-rise was constructed beside it, to accommodate the departments. Not so lucky is the first office of the Commissioner, a Chisholm-designed building that now rots away on Police Commissioner’s Office Road.
In the past few years, the old police stations in Chennai have been undergoing moderni-sation. The record is rather mixed. Some of the old ones such as the Flower Bazaar and Mount Road (Spencer’s junction) stations were demolished outright to make way for new structures which are neat and quite functional though in no way bearing any likeliness to what stood there earlier. In a few other places (Graeme’s Road for instance), where plenty of space was available, the old building has been retained in full even as a functional annexe has come up in the rear. Yet others, such as the Harbour (B1) station, face an uncertain future, slated as they have been for demolition for years but with no action taking place as yet. A few lucky ones – Triplicane, Mylapore (Kutchery Road), Tiruporur and First Line Beach police stations are magnificently maintained. There is clearly no policy on what can be done and what cannot.
In the last year or so, the Royapettah police station, standing as it does at a fork formed by Gowdia Mutt and Royapettah High Roads, has come in for attention. This is a typical red brick structure of a single storey and suffered from poor maintenance. To its rear was an annexe of more modern vintage that was shockingly kept. It was announced a couple of years ago that the station would be modernised even as the old part of it would be retained for posterity. All this was to the good. The police moved out to a location close by and the old building was emptied. The annexe was demolished thereafter, bringing to light the rear of the older structure – it had tall doors leading to an open backyard. These had been shut in when the annexe was constructed and now with their opening, the old station became airy and well lit.
Just as those who were fortunate to see all this were rejoicing, the police began constructing a new annexe. The open doors at the rear were walled in once again and the station reverted to being a dark and dingy place. The new annexe, unlike the earlier one, which was of a single storey, is now of three floors and completely dwarfs the main structure – a clear contravention of all accepted practice when construction is taken up in proximity to a heritage building. Outwardly, the annexe mimics the façade of the old station quite faithfully – in its borders, arched windows and crenellated skyline. But given its height and bulk, it overshadows the main station completely.
What is of greater concern is that while the annexe is all painted and gleaming, clearly awaiting inauguration by whoever comes to power next, the old station is lying forlorn. It has not even been painted. What is its future going to be? True, it is not being demolished but will it at least be given the dignity of some upkeep? If that is not going to be done, the very purpose of saving it will be lost.
