NAGAPATTINAM: A century-old building of Nagapattinam Municipality near Maraimalai Nagar is set to be renovated at around Rs 2 crore. The renovation work of the dilapidated structure is likely to start this year.
At an event in Nagapattinam on March 3, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin announced that the municipality office would be renovated at Rs 4 cr keeping its heritage features intact.
The two-floor meeting hall would be renovated by the Public Works Department's Heritage Wing. "The estimates have been prepared for about Rs 1.99 cr for the renovation of the dilapidated structure. Soon, a detailed project report would be prepared.
The renovation will commence this year," said a PWD's heritage wing official. The official added that the rest of the premises could be renovated at another Rs 2 cr. The condition of the municipal meeting hall, inaugurated on October 24, 1925, declined in the past few decades.
A few areas in the ground floor are still functional while the first floor is unusable. The current administration of the civic body is based in a new building. However, requests were recently made to renovate the dilapidated old building.
T Leena Simon, the commissioner of Nagapattinam Municipality, told TNIE, "After renovation, we could split and shift some of our key administrative functions to the old building."
The Nagapattinam Municipality (then, Negapatam Municipality) was established on October 24, 1866. It is one of the oldest urban local bodies in Tamil Nadu. It was upgraded as Second Grade Municipality in 1986 and then made as Selection Grade Municipality in 1998.