Tamil Nadu’s Public Works Department (PWD) has decided to restore and conserve heritage buildings under its control and explore ways to use them for revenue-generating purposes, according to reports.
The state has 264 heritage structures dating back to the periods of kings, the Mughals and the British. These buildings are under the PWD, with the highest numbers in Chennai (58), followed by Coimbatore (20) and Thanjavur (17). Kanyakumari, Madurai and Salem have 12 each, Pudukkottai has 10, and Tiruppur and Tiruvannamalai have nine each, while other districts have one or two.
Many of these buildings are currently used as offices by departments such as Health, Judiciary, Higher Education and Revenue. Others are in a dilapidated state. A PWD official said some user departments alter old structures without understanding their heritage value and fail to maintain them, leading to damage.
The official said the department is identifying the worst-affected buildings and undertaking renovation work, with funds running into crores allocated for the effort. However, the PWD believes reassigning renovated heritage buildings to government offices could again expose them to damage.
As a result, talks are under way with the Tourism Department to adapt restored buildings in a way that attracts visitors while generating income. If Tourism does not take it up, the PWD is also considering options such as light-and-sound shows and setting up cafes in these heritage premises.
