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Mulling ₹30 crore upgrade for Chandigarh museum, Centre tells Lok Sabha
The ministry stated that it took cognisance of the deteriorating condition, and that periodic repair and maintenance works are being regularly undertaken, while the civil wing initiated waterproofing
Acknowledging deterioration, including roof leakages, in certain portions of the heritage building of the Government Museum and Art Gallery, Sector 10, Chandigarh, Union minister of culture and tourism Gajender Singh Shekhawat, in a response to a question by MP Manish Tewari in the Lok Sabha, has said a major overhaul with a ₹30.33-crore modernisation and conservation proposal is under consideration.
The Lok Sabha was also informed that the Centre has not released any financial assistance for the project in the last five years. The ministry stated that it took cognisance of the deteriorating condition, and that periodic repair and maintenance works are being regularly undertaken. The civil wing of the engineering department has initiated waterproofing of the building, which is scheduled for completion soon, it informed.
The Chandigarh administration had on February 5 submitted a detailed project report (DPR) for the modernisation of the Government Museum and Art Gallery under the Museum Grant Scheme of the Ministry of Culture.
Shekhawat said the preservation requirements of the museum’s collections and the adequacy of existing infrastructure for their conservation are assessed on a regular basis by the museum authorities.
In June this year, Tewari visited the Government Museum and Art Gallery and had also written to the Punjab governor-cum-UT administrator Gulab Chand Kataria about the poor condition and upkeep of the museum.
The planned revamp aims to address both structural and technological shortcomings. Besides repairing the building and arresting water seepage, the project envisages installation of a modern heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) system to ensure stable temperature and humidity levels essential for preserving paintings, sculptures and archaeological artefacts.
