THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The administrative nerve centre of the state, the Secretariat, will soon get the much-needed facelift. The main building, which was known as Huzur Cutchery, Public Office or Puthen Kacheri in the past, will undergo renovation, restoration, preservation and conservation activities on the occasion of the 150th anniversary of its functioning. While it will be the General Administration Department (GAD) that will coordinate the said activities, it will be a nine-member committee headed by the Chief Secretary which will evaluate the qualified bidders and the concept design made by them.
“Considering the heritage value, the building needs urgent restoration/renovation and conservation. The project focuses on internal space redesigning, space planning, improvement of interior and exterior environment of the Government Secretariat Building,” said an officer of the GAD.
According to the officer, for carrying out the said works, the GAD the other day had floated a request for proposal from eligible conservation architectural firms and conservation architect consultants. A pre-bid meeting has been scheduled on June 26. The last date for submission of technical and financial bids is July 12. The bids will be opened on July 15. “The plan is to award the work to a qualified bidder before August as it will be in this month that the 150th anniversary of the functioning of Secretariat will be observed. A qualified bidder should come out with a conservation plan, including the conservation aspects, conservation architectural design, structural strength analysis, structural design and relevant drawings,” said the officer.
In a direction issued by the GAD, the selection committee for evaluation of the qualified bids and project configuration will be chaired by the Chief Secretary and will have members, including principal secretaries of Public Works Department and GAD, secretary of Culture Department, Chief Engineer (Buildings) PWD, Chief Architect PWD, Director of Archaeology Department and two eminent conservation architects nominated by the government. Meanwhile, a joint secretary of the GAD said the idea of the proposed works is to make the building fit for use for another 100 years and for the same the expert advice of institutions like IIT Chennai and Delhi will also be sought. The officer further said a final call on the same will be taken by a committee headed by the Chief Secretary.
As of now, the main building houses the famous clock tower, Durbar Hall, offices of Excise and Transport Ministers, a part of the office of the Chief Secretary, offices of GAD (Accounts), Vigilance and Law and offices of secretaries of various departments.
A peek into history
As per government records, it was in the course of legislative developments in 1865 that the foundation stone was laid for the Secretariat by the then ruler of Travancore Ayilyam Thirunal. The Secretariat began to function from August 23, 1869. The Secretariat came to be known as Government Secretariat from August 25, 1949.