Redlands Building in Shillong to be restored to original glory: Manipur govt panel

Imphal, Oct 23: A high-powered committee formed to address the demolition of the historic Redlands Building in Shillong has recommended restoring the structure to its original form through anastylosis, following the norms and guidelines of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and UNESCO.

The Redlands Building, also known as Manipur Rajbari, was dismantled between September 29 and October 8 by a department of the Manipur government, reportedly to construct a new Manipur Bhavan or guest house in its place.

A senior official said that the Manipur government has already set up a Monitoring and Supervision Committee to oversee the reconstruction and restoration of the heritage structure.

A consultative meeting chaired by Ngangom Uttam Singh, Director of Municipal Administration, Housing and Urban Development (MAHUD) and Information and Public Relations, was held on Wednesday to discuss the recent demolition and chart the way forward for restoring the historic Manipur Rajbari in Shillong.

The meeting suggested engaging reputed professional conservation and preservation experts to prepare a complete development plan and to guide the state government in the execution of the work.

The meeting also suggested engaging local experts in the field to interact with and monitor the conservation experts in order to ensure preservation of historical features, original architectural design, and cultural significance.

Various organisations in Manipur and Meghalaya said that the Manipur government’s Planning and Development Authority’s (PDA) official attempted to shift responsibility to the Department of Art and Culture about the pulling down of the historic Redlands Buildings in Shillong.

Many political parties, including the BJP and the Congress, senior political leaders, MPs, dozens of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), student bodies, Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI), the apex body of the Meitei community in Manipur, have been strongly protesting the demolition of the historic building and demanding an inquiry into the Rajbari demolition.

The historic Redlands Building, constructed in the 1940s in Shillong, was one of the residences of the erstwhile king Maharaja Bodhachandra Singh. The demolition of Redlands Buildings in Shillong has triggered widespread condemnation from various organisations, including Meitei Heritage Society, historians, scholars, citizens and experts, who describe the demolition as an irreparable loss to Manipur’s political and cultural heritage.

--IANS