Varanasi :

UP Revenue Board chairman Javed Usmani’s Thursday visit paved the way for long pending project for replacing 195 years old Collectorate building by a multi-storied building.

For this already sanctioned project of Rs 17.47 crore, the first installment of Rs 3.5 crore will reach here within two days, said Usmani during a chat with reporters. District magistrate Pranjal Yadav said that with the arrival of first installment of sanctioned budget, the construction work will start in phases as demolishing the old buildings and court on the Collectorate premises together is not possible.

Built in 1820, the Collectorate building is now in a dilapidated state. Proposals to renovate and also replace the building have come up in the past and the building was declared unfit for use through a government order (no. 285/1-5-09-165/08 revenue section-5 issued on January 30, 2009).

The idea of replacement was floated during the last Samajwadi Party government when the building was found in a dilapidated state and then a government order was issued, declaring the building unfit for use. But, before the issuance of this GO, the then SP government had taken the decision to replace the old Collectorate building by a new one. In May 2006, the then officials had forwarded a proposal Rs 8.71 crore to the Revenue Board and state government in this regard. However, even after sanctioning of the project, its funds were diverted to west UP district by the then SP government.

In December 2010, another proposal was sent to the state government when the Revenue Board revised the budget of the project to Rs 7.25 crore. Instead of going with this proposal, the government initially engaged the construction and designing section (CNDS) of UP Jal Nigam to re-examine the project and prepare a new detailed project report (DPR) by keeping the actual requirements of the Collectorate in view.

After CNDS prepared new DPR of Rs 18.18 crore by proposing a multi-storied building, the Revenue Board decided to engage Rajkiya Nirman Nigam (RNN) to handle the project by revising the budget to Rs 17.47 crore.

After these developments, the RNN in 2011 decided for shifting the offices and courts from the Collectorate to the Cultural Complex to start construction work by demolishing all old buildings. But, before this process could be started, model code of conduct was promulgated in view of 2012 assembly election. After returning to power, the SP did not show interest in this project. The local authorities maintained correspondence with revenue board but officials did not show interest in ensuring that the project is seeing the light of the day.

But, the announcement of Usmani made it very clear that now this project will not linger. The DM said that “in the initial phase of construction, the offices and courts of ACMs will be demolished followed by pulling down of ADMs offices and court and also the Rifle Club”.

With the construction of new buildings at these places, the offices of the main Collectorate building would be shifted there, said Yadav adding, the new multi-storied Collectorate building will also have parking facility in its basement.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Varanasi / TNN / December 12th, 2014