Conservation Work

Restoration of Vadia Palace (Gujarat Forest Ranger’s College), Rajpipla, Gujarat

Vadia Palace, also known as Indrajit- Padmini Mahal, was built in 1939, in the princely state of Rajpipla. It is currently used as the Gujarat Forest Ranger’s College. An MoU was signed between INTACH and GFRC in Sept 2019, for the restoration of this heritage building.
The Detailed Project Report was submitted in January 2020. The project was divided into phases, of which Phase- I: Structural Restoration and Waterproofing was completed by Sept 2021.
The Phase II: architectural and Surface Restoration, is on-going. It includes repair and treatment of the external facade. Since the budget of this phase is being allocated in parts, the restoration of the eastern facade has been completed.
This phase also includes restoration of the Oriental Room, which has wall paintings by Italian artist. The room restoration was recently completed.

Completed Restoration of Eastern Facade of Vadia Palace

Facade Restoration of Domes on the Terrace of Vadia Palace

Art Conservators Restoring the Italian Paints in VC of Vadia Palace

Delhi Police Museum

INTACH has signed an MoU with the Delhi Police on 28th March 2022 to design and develop a museum dedicated to history, role, and challenges of Delhi Police in the heritage building within New PHQ (near Gurudwara Bangla Saheb).
Delhi police has a long history of policing dating back to the first kotwal of Delhi in 1237 through an organized form of policing established by the British after the first war of Independence of 1857 to reorganizing of Delhi police in 1946 till today.
INTACH has conceptualized the Museum as a hybrid museum using static displays integrated with state-of-the-art technologies. This will give the visitor an immersive and interactive experience. The DPR with a detailed museum design has been submitted and presented to the Delhi police. Final from Delhi police approval is awaited.

Restoration of Gol Dak Khana (New Delhi GPO)

An MoU was signed with the Department of Post, Delhi Circle, in December 2022, for the Restoration of Gol Dak Khana, New Delhi GPO.
A detailed documentation and condition assessment of the building was done based on which the Detailed Project Report was submitted. The DPR was approved in March 2023
It is a circular building located within a roundabout in central Delhi. This Colonial building was constructed in 1934 as Alexandra Place with its front side (south side) allotted for the post office, earlier known as Viceroy Camp Post Office.
The proposal includes restoring the building to its original footprint by removing all later additions, optimizing the usage of internal spaces as per the requirement of the post office and restoring the lost/ damaged architectural features and renewal of all services.
The execution work will be carried out block-wise as the building would be in constant use.

South side external Facade of Gol Dak Khana (New Delhi GPO)

North Eastern Entrance of Gol Dak Khana

Director’s Residence in Gol Dak Khana, originally called Alexandra Place

View of internal space

Tipong Tourism Development Plan, Margherita, Assam

Coal India has approached INTACH for the development of the Heritage Mining Tourism Development Plan for Upper Assam.
For the same INTACH team visited Tipong, Margherita, Tinsukia, Ledo and Dibrugarh from 22nd March 2022 – 25th March 2022, for the preparation of Heritage Mining Tourism Destination Plan at Tipong, Assam and Upper Assam Tourism Circuit Development.
INTACH submitted a phase wise preliminary proposal for the same to the NEC (Northeastern Coalfields), Margherita, Assam, which was approved for phase I of DPR preparation.
INTACH team visited Tipong in March 2023 for a week to undertake a detailed survey. The DPR is being currently prepared.

1851 steam engine at Pragati khani

Heritage Bunglow at Margherita

Tripura Tribal Autonomous Museum, Khumulwng, Tripura

Tripura has a diverse cultural legacy with 19 indigenous communities. Each community has its own distinct culture, traditions and lifestyle, which includes widely renowned dance forms.
To spread awareness regarding these indigenous communities of Tripura across the locals and tourists, INTACH signed a MoU with Tripura Tribal Area Autonomous District council (TTAADC) in December 2021 to design the Tribal Museum at Khumulwng using digital technologies integrated in static display for immersive and engaging experience.
In May 2022, a proposal for the conceptualisation, curation and development of a museum exhibiting all aspects of the indigenous communities of Tripura was prepared and presented to the Govt. of Tripura. The project proposal report focuses on new buildings, with individual descriptions of all galleries, including the theme of the exhibits, the concept and design of representation and the technological systems. Approval from the Govt. is awaited.

Tripura Autonomous Cultural Museum (Art and Craft Gallery)

Tripura Autonomous Cultural Museum (Gallery 1)

Tripura Autonomous Cultural Museum (Religious Gallery)

Tripura Autonomous Cultural Museum (Tradition Gallery)

Raja Shankar Shah Museum, Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh

Tribal Freedom Fighter Raja Shankar Shah is one of the most heroic local rulers of the Gondwana region who revolted against the British. Raja along with his son Kunwar Raghunath Shah was captured and executed by the British on 18th September 1858.
To commemorate their service and sacrifice for the people of Gondwana, the Tribal Welfare Department, Government of Madhya Pradesh has proposed a museum cum memorial dedicated to Raja Shankar Shah and Kunwar Raghunath Shah.
The museum is proposed in the current DFO complex in Jabalpur where Raja and Kunwar were imprisoned. The Dept of Tribal Welfare, Govt of MP, has given a work order to AHD, INTACH to execute the project phase-wise.
Currently, the conservation of Main Block and final Design of Museum under phase I are in progress. DPR for Phase II has been submitted to the Tribal Welfare Department.

Raja Shankar Shah Museum
Proposed View (Gallery 1)

Raja Shankar Shah Museum
Proposed View (Gallery 2)

Raja Shankar Shah Museum
Proposed View (Gallery 3)

Raja Shankar Shah Museum
Proposed View (Gallery 4)

Museum Development Conservation and adaptive reuse of Dr Bhupen Hazarika House, Assam

Bharat Ratna Dr Bhupen Hazarika bought the seven bigha land at Kuthari, Assam, in 1974 and built a rest house for himself naming it ‘Apun Ghar’. Many of his songs and poetry were composed in this house. In 2012, the property was sold out which was recently acquired by the Assam government with an aim to conserve the house and convert it into a cultural centre as a memorial to Dr. Bhupen Hazarika with help of INTACH.
A team from AH Division of INTACH visited Kuthari on 25th August, 2021 for an initial inspection of the house and submitted a PPR for the conservation and adaptive re-use of the same. Approval from the Govt. is awaited.

Dr Bhupen Hazarika House

Smart City Project, Jammu and Kashmir

INTACH has signed an MoU with the Jammu Smart city Ltd (JSCL) on 28th May 2021 for the conservation of heritage buildings. INTACH submitted proposals for street upgradation (from Radio Station Chowk in front of Raj Bhawan to Masjid Chowk), which could not be undertaken and restoration of 10 historic temples in Jammu. Currently, restoration of deodis of 3 temples (Satya Narayan Temple, Sardaron ka Mandir and Radha Krishna Mandir at Rani Park) is ongoing and ll be completed by end of May 2023.

Signing of MoU with JSCL

The Billu Temple, Panjtirthi

Srinagar Smart city Ltd. has engaged INTACH AH Division as consultant for “Façade improvement of Heritage Markets of the Downtown”,
‘Govt. Girls Middle School at Gaw Kadal, and “Govt. Boys Middle School at Gaw Kadal”. The project is handled by the INTACH Srinagar Chapter under the guidance and advise of the AH division.

Rejuvenation of the floodplains of River Yamuna, NCT of Delhi (Wazirabad Barrage to Old Iron Bridge, Delhi)

On the recommendation of NGT, DDA approached INTACH in March,2019 to submit the restoration and rejuvenation proposal for the floodplains of River Yamuna for approx. 7 Km stretch from Wazirabad barrage to Old Iron bridge, New Delhi.
INTACH submitted the proposal by dividing the stretch into 5 zones i.e 1.) Naturalisation of Surghat area 2.) Agricultural land behind Majnu Ka Tilla as Wetland. 3.) Forest Area between Majnu ka Tilla Gurudwara and Chandgi Ram Akhada as Eco trail 4.) Development of Qudsia ghat 5.) Restoration of old 32 Ghats in Yamuna Bazaar.
INTACH signed a MoU with DDA in September 2021 for the development of Qudsia Ghat covering 16 Hectares of land as a pilot project. Tenders for the first and the second phase have been allotted.
The area is being developed as an extension to the existing Qudsia Garden which is on the western side of the ring road. Therefore, the overall planning is based on Charbagh layout with architectural elements like stone chhatris, baradari, pedestrian pathways and bathing ghats. In addition to that, added amenities like cycle tract, public convenience, parking and a Yamuna Statue is also being developed.
Work on site is ongoing at site and expected to be completed by July 2023.

Development Plan

Site Visit by LG

Charbagh Area

Baradari

Charbagh Area

Stabilization and Restoration of Ganga Mahal, (Phase II), Varanasi

Ganga Mahal along the river Ganga in Varanasi was constructed in 1865 by Maharaj Jiyajirao Scindia. This ghat has been demarcated as Yameshwar Ghat in the survey map of James Princep. The ghat was later named after the Ganga Mahal and is known as Ganga Mahal Ghat. The building is under the ownership of the Scindia Devasthan Trust of the royal family of Gwalior.
After parts of the building collapsed due to heavy rains on 13th August 2011, INTACH was approached to take up the conservation work. In 2012, phase I works were initiated for emergency stabilization and structural strengthening to avoid further collapse which was completed by 2014.
Currently, the phase II works which started in 2019 covering the restoration of the riverside façade and other collapsed areas are being undertaken. The project is expected to be completed very soon.

Restoration of North East Bastion (Before & After)

Reinstallation of stone Jalis and frames (Before and Ongoing)

Conservation of Historic Allahabad Library, Prayagraj

INTACH has signed an MoU with Prayagraj Smart City Limited (PSCL) as a consultant for the conservation of the Government Public Library, Prayagraj on 20th October 2021.
The detailed project report was submitted to PSCL in January 2022.
The tender was floated by the PSCL in February 2022 and the work has commenced.
The work is being carried out in phases as the building is in use. So far, the work done is surface cleaning of the external facade and the corridors, structural restoration of the intermediate floors of the tower and restoration work of the orientation hall and the terrace. The work was to be completed by 31st March, 2023. However the contractor has sought extension from PSCL as the restoration work is getting delayed as the building is in use.

Cleaned Facade of the Corridor

Cleaned Facade of the Porch

Vault Cleaned of Cement Plaster and Repointing

Cleaned Wooden Truss

Government Gandhi Memorial Science College (GGMSC), Jammu

Gandhi Memorial Science College earlier known as Prince of Wales College was established in 1905. It was constructed to commemorate the visit of the Prince of Wales on 16th December 1910. The building was commissioned by Maharaja Pratap Singh. In July 2015, the college was given the “heritage status” by the University Grants Commission (UGC).
An MoU was signed between INTACH and the Government Gandhi Memorial Science College in February 2017 for the conservation of 3 heritage buildings (Physics & Chemistry Block, Main Building, and the Geology Block) of the college and the DPRs were submitted in November 2017. However, the restoration did not start immediately.
In March 2022, a separate MoU was signed to appoint INTACH as a consultant for advice and supervision of the work. Restoration of the Physics & Chemistry Block has been taken up on priority as it is the most damaged building. The time period for completion of the project is 24 months. The work is presently on hold.

Partially Cleaned Faade of Physics & Chemistry Block

Laying of Lime Terrace

Conservation of Berry White Medical School, Dibrugarh

Sir John Berry White who was a retired brigadier of the British army and later the civil surgeon of the erstwhile Lakhimpur district donated his life’s savings to establish “Berry White Medical School” in 1900 AD. This was the beginning of Allopathic Medical Education in old undivided Assam and LMP Diploma was conferred to the students.
INTACH signed an MoU with “Oil India Limited” and “Deputy Commissioner, Dibrugarh” for the restoration of Dr. John Berry White Medical School on 10th January 2018. Accordingly, DPR was prepared and work started in March, 2018
Work was divided into two phases. Phase I included the restoration of the main building and Phase II included the restoration of two ancillary structures, services and landscape. Phase I is complete while Phase II is about to be completed by the end of May 2023.
The District Administration has also received some CSR funds from BCPL for the construction of the front part of the boundary wall. This work has been completed.
INTACH has also signed an MoU with ONGC wherein ONGC has sanctioned CSR funding for works like restoration of the 3rd ancillary structure, remaining part of the boundary wall, furniture for the main building as well as the ancillary structures, information panels, DG set and pump. This work will be completed by July 23.

Berry White Medical School

Chairman of ATDC on site visit

View of Dr.John Berry White Medical School, Dibrugarh

Conservation of General Post Office (GPO) Building – Mumbai, Department of Posts, Ministry of Communication & Technology

The General Post Office, designed by Scottish Architect John Begg in 1913 is a prime example of the Indo-Saracenic style of architecture of the British Bombay era.
The majestic steel framed structure covering an area of 120,000 square feet (11,000 m²) having the second largest dome in India stands in the precinct of the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus Railway Station (CST) Railway Station.
INTACH prepared the DPR for the conservation of the building in 2018. The entire Conservation work is divided into four phases. Execution of work for three phases started on-site simultaneously. Phase I has been completed in March 2023 and currently the phase II work is ongoing.
The phase I work focused on the structural strengthening and consolidation of the West Wing.