131 more buildings in Puducherry get heritage tag

The Puducherry Government has notified the second list of 131 buildings in the French and Tamil quarters in the Boulevard as protected heritage buildings. They were notified as heritage structures based on the recommendations of the State-Level Heritage Conservation and Advisory Committee (SLHCAC).

After calling for objections and suggestions from the general public, the SLHCAC notified 118 private buildings and 13 religious buildings as heritage buildings.

The buildings have been graded as Grade II A (new construction may be allowed on the premises); Grade II B (horizontal and vertical addition and alternation may be allowed); and Grade III (where the structure has no architectural significance and demolition may be allowed).

The list includes 39 commercial buildings, 8 institutional buildings and 70 residential buildings among others.

The prominent Grade II A buildings included Vasant Villa, Hotel de l’ Orient, Cluny Embroidery Centre, Kuthbapalli mosque and temples such as Sri Kalatheeswarar, Sri Varadaraja Perumal, Vedapureeswarar, Kanniga Parameswari, and Kamatchiamman temple.

The first list of 114 buildings including 36 government-owned buildings and 9 French Government buildings, 60 ashrams and nine churches were notified by the Government as heritage structures in 2023. With this, a total of 245 buildings have been notified as protected heritage structures so far.

According to a heritage conservationist, “Puducherry has already achieved important milestones in heritage conservation.”

“The Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) and Puducherry Planning Authority are working on a Heritage Management Plan for the heritage precinct. Additionally, a draft plan for the U.T. to be on the ‘Tentative List’ of UNESCO has been sent to the Puducherry Government for approval,” said the conservationist.

Most of the Government heritage buildings have been restored. The Police Headquarters building has been approved for restoration while a proposal for restoration of the Raj Nivas has been submitted to the Government.

According to Ashok Panda, co-convenor of Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage, “Puducherry as a historic city has outstanding universal values. The Franco-Tamil heritage of Puducherry, as it is seen in its architecture, urban morphology, and intangible culture, is the product of the unique experience and should be preserved for its “Outstanding Universal Value”.

He added, “Puducherry is a site where a confluence of cultures has created a unique architectural milieu, composed of French colonial buildings, traditional Tamil homes, and exceptional examples of fused architectural style that is Franco-Tamil. This particular combination and Franco-Tamil architecture in itself is the direct result of cultural interchange, and is unique within India.”

Published - September 30, 2024 11:49 pm IST