Chandigarh: Heritage panel shoots down proposal to raze Kiran Cinema
Dushyant Singh Pundir
Chandigarh, June 14
In a bid to strike a balance between the past and future, the Chandigarh Heritage Conservation Committee (CHCC) has turned down a proposal of the owners of Kiran Cinema in Sector 22 to demolish the structure to make way for a multiplex.
During a recent meeting of the committee, the consultant for Kiran Cinema, while presenting the proposal, had spelt out their plan to demolish the existing structure and rebuild it with the same external facade/expression, but with changes in the interior layout and some changes on one of the external walls under adaptive reuse.
The committee, however, stated since it was city’s first theatre, designed by architect Maxwell Fry, it was crucial to ensure any proposal being considered was carefully and thoughtfully examined. So, it was suggested that instead of demolishing the existing structure, retrofitting and conservative measures be adopted for adaptive reuse.
In the Chandigarh Master Plan for 2031, notified in 2015, a heritage status was recommended for Kiran Cinema. Work to construct the theatre had started in the early 1950s, which makes it almost as old as the city itself. The theatre is located in the oldest sector of the city, 22, right in the heart of the city.
Unable to upgrade it with the changing technology, the owners of the single-screen theatre have been suffering losses over the years and seeking permission for its conversion to a multiplex. Earlier, the UT Administration had turned down their plan to sell the building and also denied permission to start a new business from the premises.
An expert said they could consider renovating the theatre’s interior using the state-of-the-art technology while maintaining its heritage status.
In its January order, the Supreme Court had directed that the northern sectors (1 to 30) of “Corbusian Chandigarh” should be preserved in their present form.
City’s oldest theatre enjoys heritage status
Work on Chandigarh’s first movie theatre started in early 1950s, making it as old as city itself. It was designed by architect Maxwell Fry. In the Chandigarh Master Plan for 2031, notified in 2015, heritage status was recommended for Kiran Cinema. The UT had earlier turned down owners’ move to sell building and denied permission to start a new business from premises.
Owners plan to build multiplex
- Theatre owners had in a representation to the Chandigarh Heritage Conservation Committee sought permission to convert it into a multiplex
- They planned to demolish existing structure and rebuild it with same external facade, but with changes to its interior and some alterations in one of external walls
- The committee, however, felt it was crucial that any proposal under its consideration was carefully and thoughtfully examined, given its heritage tag
