Unused school to turn museum for Kol’s largest lake
Times of India | 12 March 2026
Kolkata: An abandoned and dilapidated primary school building on Rabindra Sarobar premises, which became non-functional in 2009, has been restored and renovated by Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority (KMDA). There are plans to set up an archive to display a complete chronological history of the century-old artificial lake, the largest in the city, sprawling over 192 acres.
"According to available knowledge, until around 2009, the building housed a free primary school for underprivileged children — ‘Vidyasagar Academy'. The building has remained abandoned for the last 16 years. The authorities recently noticed some unlawful activities occurring inside the building, specially after dark, and it was decided to restore the structure for another purpose," an official said.
"The building has been thoroughly repaired to bring it into a presentable condition for proper use," the off-icial said. The official added that it has now been planned that the building could be used to set up an archive on Rabindra Sarobar.
"Rabindra Sarobar is a century-old artificial lake with a rich history. It came to our notice that there is no chronological historical data or available documentation on Rabindra Sarobar. A proposal has been framed to set up an archive on it at the renovated building for public display. There will be relevant information available for visitors, along with a detailed infographic," an official said.
Officials said that the existing structure has only been repaired and renovated, with no expansion, as no new construction work is allowed on the Lake premises.