THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: It has witnessed many high voltage political dramas and rise and fall of many political stalwarts. For more than a century, the Secretariat building, on the heart of the city at Statue Junction, remains as the nerve centre of the state, where hundreds of commoners from far away arrives on a daily basis to meet ministers and senior officers and for raising their grievances and clearing administrative deadlocks.
With the Secretariat main block a year away from observing its sesquicentennial (150th year) fete, a facelift for the building is on the cards.
It is learned that the General Administration Department's (GAD) House Keeping Cell, after considering the heritage importance of the building, has floated a plan to take up a project work that will ensure its restoration/renovation and conservation. The project will focus on internal space redesigning, space planning, office interiors and improvement of interiors and exteriors of the Building.
"The work should be carried out under the guidance of expert individuals or agencies who are well established in the field of heritage conservation or interior design. We have floated a request for the same and the last date for submission of technical bids and financial bids are on April 28," said an officer with GAD.
According to the officer, the conservation of the building gets its much-needed push after the state government directed the concerned to take up the proceedings in a war-footing.
It is said that proposals have been invited from leading conservation architects or conservation architectural consultancy firms to provide comprehensive architectural services including preparation of DPR, conservation plan including the conservation aspects, conservation architectural design, structural design and drawings, detailed estimates preparation and others.
"The government decided to take up the project because over the years many unscientific constructions and additions were made to the main structure and this has not only weakened it, but also took away its majestic style. The main aim of the project is to regain the Secretariat's past glory," adds the officer.
The main block which also includes the Durbar Hall now houses the offices of various Secretaries, offices of GAD (Accounts), Vigilance and Law. It is also where the offices of the Excise and Transport Ministers operates from.
An architectural marvel itself, the foundation stone for the Secretariat building, which was previously known as Huzur or Puthen Kacheri, was laid by the Maharajah of Travancore Ayilyam Thirunal. The building designed and built by one Barton and was completed in 1869 under the supervision of the then Dewan T Madhava Rao.