 |
| renovated Laxmi Nivas, Ranchi city, Jharkhandtelegraphindia.com |
In many states when a decision is taken up to preserve the old heritage structures or colonial buildings of yester years, the officials normally cause inordinate delay and fail to understand the historical value of the monuments facing threats by climatic changes and misuse of such unbarricaded buildings. Many fine monuments have languished in neglect for a long time due to sanction of funds by the higherups.. By the time funds are made available after years, the construction cost goes way up. This is the fate of many tagged heritage buildings in many states. The central government has to come up with a new approach to solve this problem of funds, bureaucratic bottlenecks and red tape.
 |
| .Laxmi Nivas building, Ranchi, telegraphindia.com |
Though the idea to protect and conserve some of the heritage sites/ monuments that were in poor shape was mooted about six or seven years ago by the Jharkhand state government, the proposal did not move forward owing to delay in getting the needed funds. But only on the occasion of the World Heritage Day in April 2017 the art and culture department of the state took a resolution to preserve the old structures for the posterity. For restoration and conservation 27 projects were identified. Among them old Laxmi Niwas building and Audrey House in the city of Ranchi were conserved after long deliberation and delay.. The fund crunch had affected many heritage structures since 2015.
 |
| Laxmi nivas kothi, in ruins 2013 Jharkhand, ,inextlive.com |
The century-old Laxmi Niwas, a two story red-brick building (covering 10000 sq. ft) at the Krishi Bhavan premises owned by a Bengali zamindar came up in 1905. The entire restoration cost was about Rs. 2.4 crores. It was done by Knospe & Co. - the Indo-German agency hired by the government for conservation project. The work was completed in early 2017. It is on Kanke Road in the heart of Ranchi and its owner was the state agriculture department. Laxmi Niwas was taken over by the Bihar government in 1970 and after the split in 2000, it became the property of the new state - Jharkhand state government. The Agriculture department took 13 long years to convince the government to put Laxmi Nivas on the restoration list.
 |
| Ranchi city, Jharkhand mapsofindia.com |
The conservation work briefly got delayed on account of secluded t location of the building. After sun down this place became a haven for goons and anti-social people. In an inebriated mood they threw bottles, etc., on some occasions and damaged newly built doors, windows, etc. So the agency sought the help of security guards to keep the useless people under check.
https://www.telegraphindia.com/jharkhand/laxmi-niwas-in-new-avatar/cid/1348593
https://www.telegraphindia.com/jharkhand/heritage-hurrah-amp-hopelessness/cid/1433890
