TIRUCHY: Lost charm returned to animate the British-era Anglo-Indian railway building, which turned 125 this year, as the Tiruchy railway division on Friday deployed an excavator to clear mounds of debris that turned its premises into a landfill.
TNIE in its October 27, 2022 article headlined, 'Once a culture centre, 125-year-old heritage building now dumping spot' reported the dilapidated condition the building is in and its relevance in the history of the Anglo-Indian community.
The building, built by the British for the community in 1897, hosted innumerable cultural events, marriage and family functions. The members of the community, dismayed by its present condition, approached various ministers for a solution, in vain. Augustine Roy Rozario, the vice president of the Federation of Anglo-Indian Associations in India, said,
"We appreciate the railway for clearing debris and weeds from the building premises. Now, we want the railway to ensure its maintenance and protect its importance." Senior railway officials said the railway will take steps to protect the old building.
"We have already cleared the debris and weeds from its premises. We would also fence the property or raise a compound wall. We are also considering long-term and short-term plans to ensure that it remains protected. Short-term works include essential maintenance work," a senior railway official said.