A REPRIEVE: A view of the Bharat Insurance Building on Anna salai in Chennai. — Photo: R. Ragu

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court has stayed the demolition or change of character of the Bharath Insurance Building, a scheduled Grade-A heritage building, at the Anna Salai-General Patters Road junction in Chennai.

The First Bench comprising Chief Justice A.P. Shah and Justice K.Chandru granted the interim injunction, on a public interest litigation petition filed by the Indian National Trust for Architectural and Cultural Heritage (INTACH), on Thursday. The matter was mentioned before the Bench in the morning and brought up for hearing around noon.

Recalling the beauty, grandeur and uniqueness of the building that needed "restoration and not demolition," the petitioner said the historic structure was constructed in 1897. Describing it "one of the finest examples of Indo-Saracenic architecture in the country," the petitioner-Trust said it was designed by J.H. Stephen and constructed by W.E. Smith & Co, and it was earlier known as Kardyl Building.

Apprehending imminent demolition, it said, "At present, the building is in a state of neglect and almost all tenants have been evicted, apparently to enable demolition." The petitioner further said: "The LIC has shown great sensitivity in restoring heritage buildings in its possession in other cities and their present attitude with regard to this heritage building in Chennai is rather surprising. The LIC's image as an institution with strong social commitment to serve the public would be enhanced if the building is preserved for posterity and not scarified for commercial needs." If restored, the property would be an invaluable asset, the petition said.

Referring to its communication with the LIC top brass, the petitioner-Trust said there was a government order asking the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority and the Chennai Corporation not to issue demolition permits without persuading the LIC against the idea.

The Public Works Department too had given a report stating that the building was under great structural stress and that it required repair works urgently.

Though the LIC participated in all the deliberations, nothing was heard after 1999, the petitioner said, adding that the CMDA and Chennai Corporation must be restrained from issuing demolition permission to the LIC or enabling it to change the character of the building.

The INTACH said the CMDA and the Corporation had ignored the repeated offers of technical assistance to restore and conserve the building, and added that the LIC had "failed to appreciate the grandeur of this heritage building and is attempting to put up a modern commercial structure in its place to enhance its income."

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail