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Shimla heritage
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Queen of Hills losing her jewels There are 329 heritage buildings in Shimla, but poor upkeep and shortage of funds is coming in the way of their conservation. Built in the British era, these edifices are at the risk of being burnt down — like the recent case of Gorton Castle — or just falling apart. By Pratibha Chauhan
It
is often referred to as a “wonder of the colonial era”, but the manner in which the architectural heritage of Shimla is falling victim to fires, time may not be far when it would be confined to the pages of history. Heritage buildings of the erstwhile summer capital of the British attract a large number of foreigners to Shimla. Some come looking for the cemetery where their grandparents lie buried while others come for a peek into the once-resplendent home their forefathers set up away from home. There are 329 heritage buildings listed by INTACH in Shimla. These 19th century colonial architecture masterpieces include complexes housing government offices, schools and residences, all over a century old. The fire that damaged the two floors of the over 110-year-old Gorton Castle, housing the office of the Accountant-General, has once again brought into focus the issue of their upkeep. These structures are fragile and vulnerable to fire, but the approach towards their conservation is casual. Barring a few buildings like the Viceregal Lodge, the fire-fighting system is non-functional in most buildings. The extensive woodwork interiors make them more prone to fire. The manner in which several such buildings were gutted has heightened the urgency to set things right. The fire services department is ill-equipped to tackle fire, especially of this scale. Despite the occasional mock drills, the preparedness to deal with an exigency falls flat. Whether it is the fire alarm that fails to go off, fire hydrant that can’t be found or haphazard parking of vehicles that hampers the movement of fire engines, the loss is colossal. Though the state government is keen to conserve these buildings, funds are a major constraint. So far, only the restoration of Gaiety Theatre has been undertaken at a cost of Rs 15 crore under the guidance of Ved Segan, a Mumbai-based conservation architect. The conservation of the Town Hall building is next in line, with a budget of Rs 6 crore approved by Asian Development Bank. The most magnificent structure of Shimla, the Viceregal Lodge is also in need of restoration, but funds are yet to be arranged even though the Union Ministry of Human Resources Development has assured that it would be done. Most buildings are crumbling and interference in the original structure by adding modern structures is compounding the problem. |
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Conservation must, but no funds Viceregal
Lodge
History Present use After Independence, it became the property of the President of India and was renamed Rashtrapati Niwas. Now, it houses the Indian Institute of Advanced Study (IIAS) where research scholars and fellows from all over the world come in pursuit of academic quest. It has an excellent library and is under the Union Ministry of Human Resource Development. Maintenance Under the Archaeological Survey of India, the building is in urgent need of major restoration as the woodwork at several places has begun to rot and the roof is leaking. Piecemeal measures are being adopted, but only a proper restoration project can salvage it. With almost Rs 100 crore required for the task, the project is yet to take off. Railway Board
building
History Present use It houses various Central Government offices, including Regional Passport Office, income tax and CBI. The 25-metre-tall building has four floors and three basements. It was originally designed to house the office of the public works department secretariat. Maintenance The building is in a relatively better condition due to the use of steel and iron in its construction. It was designed to be fire resistant and survived the fire that broke out in 2001. Ellerslie
History Present use The Himachal Secretariat occupied it in the summer of 1967, when Dr YS Parmar took over as the state’s first Chief Minister. This 143-room three-storeyed building houses the offices of the Chief Minister, ministers and senior bureaucrats. In 1972, the Summit Hall was renovated and named on the basis of initial summit meetings held here between India and Pakistan before the Simla Agreement was finally signed. The Himachal Cabinet now holds its meetings here. Maintenance The building is very old but in good condition. Its upkeep is undertaken from time to time as it houses the
secretariat. Town Hall
History Present use It houses the offices of the Mayor, Deputy Mayor and Commissioner of the Municipal Corporation. Most branches dealing with various public services are also housed here. Maintenance It is in need of major restoration. To be undertaken at a cost of Rs 6 crore, the restoration projest has been put on hold as the civic body is awaiting grant of sufficient accommodation for its staff. Barnes Court
History The single-storeyed building that stood here was bought by Lord Edward Barnes, Commander-in-Chief, for Rs 14,500 in 1828. Later, a two-storeyed building with ‘dhajji’ walls and excellent teak work was raised in 1879-1886 at a cost of over Rs 3 lakh. It has spacious rooms with ample natural light and is spread over 46 acres. Present use It acted as the summer Raj Bhawan of Punjab till 1966. After the reorganisation of states, the state guesthouse was set up here. In 1972, Indira Gandhi and Zulfikar Ali Bhutto signed the Simla Agreement here. After the Raj Bhawan at Peterhoff was gutted in 1981, the Governor’s residence was shifted here. The Chief Minister, ministers and the Chief Justice of High Court are administered the oath of office at Barnes Court, known as Raj Bhawan. Maintenance Being the residence of the Governor, the building is in a good condition. Its maintenance is not an issue as there is no dearth of funds. A fire escape staircase and a lift were added to the building in 1994.
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Some stand sturdy, others vulnerable Gaiety
Theatre
Present use:
It houses a theatre, a photo gallery and an art and exhibition gallery. A part of it is with the ADC to be used as a club. Maintenance:
It has undergone a complete conservation. The project, costing Rs 15 crore, went on for six years. It was reopened in June 2009. Grindlays Bank
Building
Present use:
It houses the offices of some corporate banks. Maintenance: The building is in a fairly good condition. History: It was built in 1885 in the Swiss Bavarian style. In 1913-14, the telegraph office shifted here. Present use: It houses the telegraph office and is called the Central Telegraph Office. Maintenance: Being with the Central Government office, it is in a reasonably good condition. Offices of the telecommunications department function from here. State Library
Present use:
It is home to the Municipal Corporation Library. Maintenance:
Being a small and
compact structure, it is taken care of well. United Services
Club
History: Built in 1933, it was the venue for social get-togethers for civil and military officers. Present use: It houses the offices of the public works and irrigation departments and the Shimla Heritage Museum. Maintenance: It is in a dilapidated condition. Chalet Day School
History:
The original building was constructed in 1890. It was pulled down for the present structure
built in 1909 in the Swiss Alpine Chalet style. Present use: A school is being run in this building. Maintenance: The imposing building is being maintained well. Council Chamber (Vidhan
Sabha)
Present use:
The Himachal Pradesh Assembly holds its sessions here. The office of the Speaker is also housed here. Maintenance:
It is in a good
condition. Auckland House
School
History:
The old building at this site, bought by Governor General Auckland in 1835, was constructed by Dr Blake. The new building was built in 1920. Present use: The school is a boarding and day school. Maintenance: The building is in a very good condition. Bishop Cotton
School
History: It was built in 1868, where Bishop Cotton School, set up in 1859 at Jutog, moved. Present use: It is a boarding school for boys till class XII. Maintenance: The building is among the best maintained heritage structures of the town. Deputy Commissioner’s
office
Present use:
It houses the offices of the Deputy Commissioner and Superintendent of Police. Maintenance: A part of it was damaged in a fire, but has been restored. It is in need of major maintenance as there is leakage and some parts are crumbling.
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It was constructed when Lord Dufferin was the Viceroy during 1884-1888. The main architect of this stately structure built in the neo-Gothic style, with elements of Scottish Baronial architecture, was Henry Irwin. Spread over 123 acres, it is built in blue-grey stone masonry with tiled-pitch roofing. The main block has three storeys and the kitchen wing five. It is a witness to many events that shaped the history of India. It was the venue for the Simla Conference in 1945. In 1947, the decision on the Partition of India and carving out West and East Pakistan was taken here. 
This distinct building was constructed in 1896-97 at a cost of about Rs 7.31 lakh in the unique colonial style cast iron and steel structure fabricated by the Bombay-based Richardson and Cruddas firm. Besides this building, the famous Raffles Hotel in Singapore is the only such building in South Asia. 
This building was constructed in 1886 after dismantling a structure by the same name which housed the military department of the Punjab Government. It was purchased for Rs 18,000 in 1881. Lt Col HES Abbott designed it to accommodate the Punjab Secretariat. It was built at a cost of Rs 3.47 lakh in 1901-02. Spread over 4.66 acres, it is made of stones quarried from Sanjauli and Raj Bhawan and bound with lime mortar. 
It occupies a commanding location and is architecturally magnificent. It was built in 1860 using stone and timber with slanting slate roof and big glass windows. It has a fair amount of European character and most of its rooms have a fireplace. 
The Gorton Castle fire is a wakeup call. The disaster management plan exists only on paper. We must modernise our fire-fighting system and strive for better coordination among various agencies. The issue is about city governance, which must be with the municipal
corporation.
We regularly undertake fire inspection of main buildings. The presence of security personnel round the clock is essential to detect a fire alarm, or else the entire exercise is rendered futile. Any delay makes it difficult to bring the fire under control. We are equipped with the latest fire engines and
gadgets.
There should be a proper mechanism for the protection of these buildings. There should be a regulatory authority. No alteration and additions must be made. Interference in facade or interiors only spoils their original character and makes them more vulnerable to fire. The manner in which gates are being erected at the entrance of many buildings amounts to
interference.
Heritage buildings should be converted into public and cultural spaces with economic use to meet their maintenance expenses. We have a proper fire-fighting system in place, but what is required is strict implementation of rules. What is being done to preserve them is inadequate. The buildings are our core cultural centre and economic assets, imperative for
tourism. 
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