Kalas Mahal to regain lost glory
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The four-member expert committee constituted to renovate the historic Kalas Mahal would meet in a week and initiate the process of finalising contractors for the work.
The 244-year-old Mahal on Chepauk Palace campus was razed in a major fire in January this year. Senior government sources told Deccan Chronicle that five contractors have volunteered to take up the restoration of Kalas Mahal to its old splendour.
“Currently, we are scrutinizing the profiles of the five contractors, particularly their experience in handling such historic buildings,” sources said adding that the PWD has written to other members of the committee comprising former dean of civil engineering department of Anna university professor A.
Shanthakumar, chief planner of CMDA and chief architect of PWD to fix the date of the meeting scheduled for next week.
The committee has planned to collect separate plans from all five contractors about the way they propose to renovate the gutted building, which once accommodated government departments like commercial tax, industries and social welfare.
Plans of all five contractors would be scrutinized and whichever best suits the renovation of the building without losing its heritage value would be chosen.
Sources also indicated that the committee was also contemplating on splitting the works into parts and awarding them to more than one contactor.
Meanwhile, the committee would also has a plan of its own and recommend necessary changes to contractors to be incorporated while renovating the building that was on fire for 48 continuous hours.
Early March, the committee submitted to the state government a report of the Mahal restoration.
Among the various recommendations it made to the government in its earlier report, the committee also suggested maximum repair in the interior and minimum on the exterior of the building so that it would retain its old look.
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