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Parveen Arora
Tribune News Service
Karnal, February 7
Despite being declared a state-protected monument by the Archaeological Department, the 109-year-old Victoria Memorial Hall near the city’s Committee Chowk is awaiting restoration.
The heritage building was handed over to the Archaeological Department by the Haryana Government two years ago. So far, the department has constructed a boundary wall around the complex and installed a gate at the entry point.
The monument was constructed in 1906 in the memory of Queen Victoria. It was rechristened Gandhi Memorial Hall after the first condolence meeting was held here after the Mahatma’s assassination in 1948.
The hall is a unique combination of Indian, Islamic and European styles of architecture. The building was put to various uses over time, but was lying in an utter state of neglect after the office of the District Public Relations was shifted from here a few years ago.
Vipin Sharma, a resident of Sector-13, said, “We were happy when this historical building was handed over to the Archaeological Department, but even after two years, nothing has been done. Only the peripheral wall and the gate have been erected.” He said the department should restore its past by maintaining the architectural styles used previously.
Raj Kumar Girdhar, a resident of Sadar Bazar, said the building should be restored and developed as a museum. The artifacts related to the rich past should be displayed here.
“A two-member team of the Archeological Department visited the monument a few days ago and held a meeting with the Executive Engineer of the Housing Board. An estimate for restoration will be formulated by the department and the work on it will be done by the Housing Board. Money will be deposited by the department. The original structure and the features will be conserved, while interlocking tiles will be installed on the premises of the building,” said RS Kharb, director and special secretary, Department of Archaeology and Museums, Haryana.
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