French technical experts to help restore heritage buildings in Chandigarh
The heritage buildings that are to restored include the high court, civil secretariat and legislative assembly at the Capitol Complex
Teams of technical experts from France will help the Chandigarh administration in the restoration of heritage buildings and renovation of heritage furniture.
A meeting in this regard was held with a French delegation, which is on a visit to the city.
The French team said that technical experts will hold online sessions, as physical visits will not be possible amid the Covid-19 pandemic. After technical exchange of ideas online, the French technical team is expected to visit the city next year for execution of the restoration work.
The heritage buildings that are to restored include the high court, civil secretariat and legislative assembly at the Capitol Complex. Currently, the administration has taken up the restoration of exposed concrete facade of government buildings in Sector 17, including the Central State Library and DC office, besides Pierre Jeanneret house and Le Corbusier Centre. It also plans to start restoration work on private buildings in Sector 17.
In February, a high-level delegation comprising Brigitte Bouvier, director, Fondation Le Corbusier, and French embassy officials had visited various heritage sites to review the restoration work in Chandigarh.
On Sunday, the delegation that included French ambassador Emmanuel Lenain, had met UT administrator VP Singh Badnore to discuss the matter.
In the Monday’s meeting with administration officials, the French delegation comprised cultural attache Isabelle Vierget Rias, second counsellor and chief of staff to the ambassador Antoine Chausson, and cultural counsellor and director, French Institute of India, Emmanuel Lebrun Damiens.
Will help stop auction of smuggled heritage items
During the meeting, the administration also took up the issue of illegal auction of Chandigarh’s heritage items abroad.
French embassy officials assured the administration that it would explore legal provisions to help stop such auctions in their territory and elsewhere.
Concerns have been raised over the administration’s inability to preserve heritage items, with their trafficking becoming rampant. Stolen heritage and smuggled items from Chandigarh have repeatedly found their way to foreign auction houses.
In the last 10 years, heritage artefacts worth around ₹30 crore have been auctioned around the world. More than 50 auctions have been held in different countries, including the US, UK and even France.