Beautification of Kanayannoor Taluk office
by Amritha K R
KOCHI: The beautification of the Kanayannoor Taluk office has invited criticism from several quarters even before the process could� be completed.
An important heritage monument of the city, the building had once housed the secretariat of the kingdom of Cochin.
“The renovation, which is now being done, will damage the building. The brick roof is being replaced by temporary-tinted roof and the painting being done is without following any colour code,” said� State convenor of INTACH K J Sohan.
For something as historical as this building any renovation must follow a detailed plan and there must be a body of experts in the field to monitor the work being done. But nothing of the sort is being followed here, he said. The taluk office once occupied the key role in the city administration with many historical sites like the Kochi Diwan Munroe’s Huzur Court, an important specimen in the history of courts in India, housed in the building complex.
In fact, the Subash Bose Park and the� Children’s park were originally the buildings’ gardens before it got separated by the Park Avenue Road.
“When doing even the smallest of renovation on� a heritage building, care must be taken to see at least the closest possible alternatives is used as replacement. But in this case these principles have not been followed,” said C Rajan, Centre for Heritage, Environment and Development (C-HED).
The extent of damage can be seen when you compare the well-maintained heritage building of the Law College, standing just next to the taluk office.� Both belonged to the same complex once upon a time, he said.
The Nirmithi Kendra has said it has not interfered with the building and that the damage was done even before they took over.� “The building was leaking. We were told not to interfere with the building.
The only parts that were removed were the ones that were fully rusted,” said project manager of the District Nirmithi Kendra P J George.
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