VISAKHAPATNAM: Built by the Maharaja of Bobbili, Sir Venkata Svetachalapathi Ranga Rao, to commemorate the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria, the 122-year-old Town Hall in Visakhapatnam, which once served as a venue for public meetings, cultural programmes and activities during the freedom struggle, is yet to be opened to the public even after its renovation was completed in 2022.
Located at Chengal Rao Peta in the Old Town area, the heritage building was restored under the Smart Cities Mission at an estimated cost of Rs 4.13 crore. The Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) and Greater Visakhapatnam Smart City Corporation Limited (GVSCCL) took up the project, with Savani Heritage Conservation Pvt. Ltd. as the conservation agency.
The restoration work focused on retaining the building’s original design, materials and architectural features. The work included relaying the Mangalore tiled roof, repairing and refabricating timber rafters and joists, restoring the wooden flooring, and replacing doors and windows to match the original design. The restoration work was carried out from 2019 to 2022.
The two-storey stone structure was built between 1901 and 1904 at a cost of Rs 50,000. It was inaugurated in 1904, by the then Collector and Agent of Vizagapatam, R H Campbell, and handed over to the municipality in the same year.
The building later became an important venue for public meetings, concerts and literary events. Mahatma Gandhi addressed a gathering here in 1929, while the 1931 Salt Satyagraha in Visakhapatnam began from the beach opposite the Town Hall.
According to the utilisation plans shared by GVMC, the ground floor is proposed to be developed as a city heritage museum showcasing Visakhapatnam’s history, including its freedom struggle, through photographs, maps, paintings, letters and other historical material.
However, the building continues to remain unused, drawing concern from heritage enthusiasts. Jayshree Hatangadi, a heritage narrator and conservator who frequently conducts heritage walks in the city, said the restored building should be opened and made accessible to citizens.
“A building restored with so much effort should not fall silent again. It belongs to us, the citizens. It was built for us, and it carries the stories of fishermen, and freedom fighters,” she said.
She said the ground floor could be developed as a heritage space showcasing the city’s pre-Independence history, while the first floor could once again function as a Town Hall where citizens could meet, discuss issues and celebrate the city’s creative talent.
Expressing disappointment over the delay, Jayshree said she had stopped pursuing the issue despite repeated efforts to draw the authorities’ attention to it. “Now I have just given up.
We write, and the GVMC officials are busy conducting programmes such as Yoga Andhra, the airport opening and other events and neglecting the citizen related issues and and heritage structures. Speaking to The New Indian Express, GVMC Commissioner Ketan Garg said the civic body was taking steps to open the building to the public.
We may schedule the inauguration of the Town Hall in the post-election period. The process had been stopped due to the Model Code of Conduct (MCC),” he said.
