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PWD Minister K. Lakshminarayanan had said the Puducherry Government had decided to accommodate the office-cum-residence of the Lieutenant Governor in the newly-constructed building at the Old Distillery Complex on the Vaithikuppam side of Beach Road
| Photo Credit: S.S. Kumar
With the Public Works Department (PWD) deciding to shift the Raj Nivas, the office and residence of the Puducherry Lt. Governor, to the old distillery complex on the northern side of the Beach Promenade, concerns have been raised by residents and heritage conservationists as they fear the Beach Road may be barricaded for security reasons, causing hardship to the residents.
PWD Minister K. Lakshminarayanan had said the Puducherry Government had decided to accommodate the office-cum-residence of the Lieutenant Governor in the newly-constructed building at the Old Distillery Complex on the Vaithikuppam side of Beach Road. The shifting is to facilitate the restoration of the Raj Nivas, which would take over a year, he said.
However, local residents have expressed concern over the shifting of the Raj Nivas to the Beach Road.
According to Probir Banerjee, co-founder of Pondy Citizens Action Network (PondyCan), a civil society organisation, “The shifting Raj Nivas to the old distillery complex will bring unnecessary hardship for the people of Puducherry as well as the tourists as the beach road is the only recreational space available. Citizens are still upset over the blocking of roads near the Raj Nivas and consider it elitist and unwarranted.”
Mr. Probir pointed out that already the Mairie building, which incurred huge investment for its reconstruction has been lying idle for months losing revenue of more than ₹20 lakh per month. Secondly, during the COVID-19 pandemic, online meetings and work from home have become the new norms (The former Lt. Governor Kiran Bedi ran the UT administration remotely).
“The unnecessary expenditure in renovating the distillery complex for the comfort of the Lt. Governor and the cost of refurbishing it after the Lt. Governor shifts to the renovated Raj Nivas is very huge. Hence, the Lt. Governor could stay in Hyderabad (as she is also the Governor of Telangana) and conduct online meetings from there. The files relating to the UT administration can be sent to her for signature and in the worst case scenario, some officer can fly down to Hyderabad,” Mr. Probir felt.
From the point of security to the Lt. Governor, the Beach Road may be barricaded and restrictions put in place. However, this would only result in causing inconvenience to a large number of elderly citizens residing in the Boulevard and surrounding areas who regularly visit the Road for their morning stroll, rue residents.
Some residents also feel sceptical about the decision particularly when Vaithikuppam near the complex would be a venue for the annual Masi Magam festival in February 2024.
According to Kakoli Banerjee, founder-member of People for Pondicherry’s Heritage (PPH), “We have taken up the issue with the PWD Minister and he assured us that roads will not be blocked. So, it is only a temporary arrangement until the Raj Nivas is restored.”
She added, “The Lt. Governor needs security but as long as it is within the complex, there should not be any reason to inconvenience people. PPH is keeping a track on the issue. The Raj Nivas should also be moved out of the city because it is not possible to have so much of area blocked. The area should be left to the residents.”
PWD sources said the Raj Nivas is structurally unsafe. The building has suffered structural damage and cracks have developed on the first floor and other portions.
“We have submitted our recommendations to the Government. It would take more than one-and-a-half year for the Raj Nivas to be restored. Meanwhile, the PWD is also simultaneously working on readying rooms to accommodate the Lt. Governor in the old distillery complex on the Beach Road as it was initially meant for a Cultural-cum-Convention Centre. This would take a minimum of six to eight months,” an official said.
“Already, access to roads near the Raj Nivas has been taken away from the people. Putting barricades on public roads around government buildings is an insult and affront to tax paying citizens. If it is going to take months to modify the old distillery complex ready for the incumbent of the Raj Nivas how long does it going to take to make the Raj Nivas ready,” asked Sunaina Mandeen, co-founder of PondyCan.
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