Bihar's vikas should not come at the cost of its heritage

Spirited protests by civil society against the proposed move of the Bihar government to demolish the Dutch-made Patna Collectorate building have come as a surprise in a state that has shown least interest in the protection, preservation and restoration of heritage buildings over the years.

The state government has decided to pull down the iconic structure, built more than 200 years ago, to construct the high-rises for its administrative convenience.

The move, however, has met with vehement opposition. The Bihar chapter of Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH), along with the Netherlands embassy, has written letters to the state government urging it to roll back the decision.

The Dutch had come to Patna in the early 17th century to set up a major trading centre along the River Ganga. They subsequently built several landmark buildings, including the one that now houses Patna Collectorate, during their stay in the city.

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This is, however, not the first time that a building of such historic importance is to be razed in the state capital. Many iconic structures of the colonial era, which were the veritable testimonies to the rich sociocultural-political history of the city, have disappeared one after another due to myopic policies of successive regimes over the years.

Old-timers still recall with horror how the state government had demolished the historic Dak Bungalow more than two decades ago to construct a hideous shopping arcade in the heart of the city.

With a red-tiled slanted roof and high ceilings fitted with chimneys, it was a unique legacy from the British era before it was dismantled with impunity by the apathetic authorities.

A few years ago, the historic Bankipore Central Jail, which was home to many revolutionaries during the freedom struggle, was also pulled down to pave the way for the construction of a meditation park.

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A majestic tonga stand, part of the legacy of the colonial era, was also removed from Patna junction for an extended car parking lot. In recent times, some British-era buildings were razed to the ground to facilitate construction of a new international museum on Bailey Road.

Thankfully, the exquisite clock tower at the state secretariat has managed to escape the fury of the wrecking ball so far. Some time ago, there was a proposal to either demolish or shorten the height of the 184ft-high structure to enable smooth operation of flights from the nearby Patna airport.

The splendid tower built by the British during World War I was designed by a New Zealand-born architect Joseph Munnings. It has since remained one of Patna's priceless monuments.

There is no denying the fact that Patna has had an awfully rich cultural history. From the pre-Mauryan times to the British era, it remained a vibrant city boasting of several heritage buildings such as Golghar and Bankipore Club.

Unfortunately, successive governments have done precious little to protect them since Independence. As a result, many of them disappeared in the rapidly-expanding concrete jungles, in and around the state capital.

Patna's historic importance could be gauged from the fact that a ring well, believed to be 2,000 years old, was recently discovered within the premises of Magadh Mahila College under Patna University. Historians believe that it could throw fresh light on the history of the region.

Incidentally, chief minister Nitish Kumar had recently announced that he would not let the upcoming metro rail project affect the city's historical remains and rich heritage in any way. It was a glimmer of hope among the civil society members that his government would do something about Bihar's surviving links to the past.

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Bihar has been witnessing a construction boom in the past few years. Several big projects are coming up all over to give a facelift to the ancient city. Such projects may well be in tune with the changing times but every effort must be made to protect and preserve the historical structures for the sake of posterity.

Development (vikas) should not come at the cost of heritage.

(Courtesy of Mail Today.)