Kolkata, Aug 10: It's corridors have echoed with the buzz of power for over 150 years, but the historic Writers' Buildings - West Bengal's seat of power and one of its most important landmarks after the Howrah Bridge - is set to fall silent for the first time in its history, albeit temporarily.
Built to accommodate the East India Company's junior staff, or the "writers" as they were called and after whom the building was eponymously named, it was the city's first three-storied building and from where the British once ruled India.
The Mamata Banerjee government has decided to shift the state secretariat out of the Writers' to allow renovation and restoration of the heritage complex, which over time has become a "tinderbox" with a disaster waiting to happen because of warnings of inadequate fire and structural safety.
Chief Minister Banerjee's announcement about relocating the secretariat to neighbouring Howrah city for the entire duration of the restoration has evoked strong responses. From experts to laymen, all have their opinions - slamming or supporting the unprecedented move.
The facelift of the red-stone edifice, built around 1780, is part of Banerjee's "London dreams" - her grand idea of sprucing up the eastern metropolis to give parts of it at least look like the heritage-protected parts of the British capital.
"Much like heritage buildings in London, its facade would be kept intact with the interiors refurbished to incorporate modern safety and security arrangements," a top official of the Public Works Department (PWD) told IANS, requesting anonymity.
