Iconic press building set to house museum

CHANDIGARH: The UT Administration will convert the government press building at Sector 18 into a museum of heritage furniture

Updated At : 12:22 PM Sep 09, 2019 IST

The government press in Sector 18, Chandigarh.

Ramkrishan Upadhyay
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, September 8

The UT Administration will convert the government press building at Sector 18 into a museum of heritage furniture. Sources said the museum proposal was prepared after the Centre ordered the closure of the printing press.

The proposal will be placed at the next meeting of the Chandigarh Heritage Conservation Committee for approval. Ajay Jagga, a member of the Heritage Protection Cell, said the museum would help the Administration in its efforts to check the sale of heritage furniture abroad. The Administration has been facing a flak for frequent auction of heritage furniture abroad. The furniture created by Pierre Jeanneret, cousin of Le Corbusier, is always a major attraction for art lovers the world over.

The UT Administration recently prepared an action plan to check such auctions. The Heritage Protection Cell of the Administration suggested that the government press building be converted into a museum of heritage furniture.

An inventory of all heritage items has been prepared. It has been proposed to keep all heritage items on the first floor of the press building. Under the plan, it has been decided to depute “dedicated staff” to secure heritage items procured from various departments.

The number of heritage manhole covers designed by Le Corbusier is around 3,600, while the number of furniture items created by Pierre Jeanneret is around 1,000. Jagga said it was estimated that furniture worth crores had already been smuggled out from the city.