Preserving the history: Vintage roadroller rescued at midnight, sent to museum

The rescuing of the roadroller is a result of a sustained citizen-led campaign and interest shown by the Patna Museum authorities in acquiring some of the artifacts that have come out of the demolition of the centuries-old Patna collectorate.

A nearly century-old steamroller manufactured by a British company that lay decrepit in the premises of the Patna Collectorate for several decades was rescued in the early hours of Thursday and sent to the city museum, culminating a chain of events that unfolded since the demolition of the landmark began mid-May.

A vintage steamroller, manufactured by John Fowler and Co, England, in the premises of the Patna Collectorate being transported to the city museum, in Patna, Thursday morning, August 25. (PTI)

However, the fate of a Dutch-era hanging skylight, a vintage safety vault and an old clock which were housed in the centuries-old District Engineer's Office Building in the 12-acre collectorate campus is still unknown, and official sources said these antique items are being "presumed to be lost in the demolition process".

The rescuing of the roadroller, manufactured by John Fowler and Co, England, however, is a result of a sustained citizen-led campaign and interest shown by the Patna Museum authorities in acquiring some of the artifacts that have come out of the demolition of the centuries-old Patna Collectorate.

How was the roller shifted?

"The rescuing of the steamroller was done past midnight. It was picked by a massive crane and then loaded in a truck at the site of demolition of Patna Collectorate, and then ferried to the Patna Museum. It will now be displayed soon on a platform with an information panel for people to see,” a senior official of the museum told PTI.

“We are also planning a conservation and restoration of the roadroller," the official said.

The development comes nearly 40 days after a team of experts from Patna Museum had inspected heritage artifacts at the demolition site of Patna Collectorate with an aim to assess and rescue them accordingly.

How citizens' collective effort saved the antique vehicle?

However, the process of rescuing this vintage machine has seen highs and lows in the past couple of months.

Heritage lovers from various parts of the country on July 19 had appealed to the museum authorities in Bihar to "urgently shift" the roadroller and other vintage items -- the now missing hanging skylight, safety vault and wall clock -- away from the demolition site of the historic Patna Collectorate.

The roadroller had been languishing for decades in an open area in front of the Dutch-era District Engineer's Office building that was situated on the banks of the Ganga river.

Till recently, its heavy iron wheels lay semi-buried in a pile of earth, and the roadroller's big wheels were finally dug out a couple of days ago.

The Board, which owned the roadroller, had written to the district administration and eventually to Bihar's art and culture department seeking its transfer when the demolition work was in full swing in May.

On May 13, the Supreme Court had rejected a plea by heritage body INTACH, which was fighting a legal battle since 2019 to save the Patna Collectorate complex. paving the way for its demolition.

Save Historic Patna Collectorate, a citizen-led initiative, had fought since 2016 to save the landmark. Its representatives had met the Board and museum authorities soon after the demolition had begun, appealing to them to rescue the roadroller and other antiquities.