Kolkata: La Martiniere has decided to restore the historic south steps at the boys' school where past students had engraved their names. The covering up of the steps with marble by the school authorities stirred up a controversy.
Restoration architect Partha Ranjan Das was on Thursday invited to check the steps and advise the school on how to restore them to their original condition. The decision follows intense pressure that has been building up on school officials from its alumni as well as the KMC Heritage Committee, which viewed the "defacement" as damage to its heritage identity. KMC issued a stop-work notice after its officials conducted an inspection.
The 11, U N Brahmachari Street address, where the school was established in 1836, is listed as Grade I heritage by KMC. No external change is permitted to a Grade I heritage structure.
La Martiniere schools secretary Supriyo Dhar, until recently, had insisted the marble slabs were laid on the steps to prevent injury to students, who could trip on the uneven surface of the old steps. On Thursday, Dhar told TOI the school appointed restoration architect Das, who was empanelled as a conservation expert with KMC, to advise the school on how to go about regular maintenance of the buildings that are well over a century old. "We did not undertake any construction, modification or alteration. Only tiles that were damaged in some washrooms and worn-out steps were repaired. We have asked Partha Ranjan Das to tell us how to go about the repairs without infringing on the heritage character," he said.
Das, after visiting La Martiniere for Boys, said the marble tiles used to cover the old steps were inappropriate and cracks had already begun to appear. "The original sandstone steps are still there below the marble and can be restored. The marble tiles that were laid over the old steps will have to be removed. If there is any damage to the old stone steps, similar stones can be brought from Rajasthan for repairs," said Das, adding several British-era buildings, including the Town Hall that he restored, had sandstone steps.
Association of La Martiniere Alumni (ALMA) president Vishal Jhajharia said the steps which had stood since the inception of the school, were of historical and emotional significance for generations of students and that the alumni would welcome any restoration endeavour. "These engravings are symbols of tradition and the spirit of La Martiniere, a testament to the pride and identity of its students. Replacing them with marble erases a part of the school's living history... It is crucial to preserve the integrity of these steps as they stand as a constant reminder of the traditions that make a school, like La Martiniere, unique," he said.
La Martiniere College in Lucknow, which houses the country home of founder Claude Martin, christened Constantia, also has steps leading to the eastern terrace that have names of students engraved on them. "This is a heritage unique to La Martiniere and is cherished by all Martinians," said La Martiniere Association (Lucknow) president Mohit Bhargava, who has rallied behind ALMA on the issue.