Heritage makeover for Chandigarh’s Sector 17 buildings to begin in August

The buildings in Sector 17 will soon get a makeover and the uniformly grey ‘concrete’ exterior it is renowned for will be restored. UT administrator VP Singh Badnore on Tuesday approved the sample of standard grey/white cement concrete for the project on Tuesday. The Heritage Committee had given it the go-ahead in April this year.

The work will begin in August. To prevent further damage and decay and to restore the ‘original’ character of the buildings, the exteriors will also be sand-blasted with abrasive materials to smoothen surfaces and remove layers of contaminants.

The move is aimed at ensuring the buildings get a longer life and are reflective of their “heritage,” as the city’s Capitol Complex designed by architect Le Corbusier is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

UT will first start the work on the government owned buildings, the deputy commissioner office, 30 Bays Building, Central State Library, followed by the showrooms in Sector 17.

“Now we have the approval of the UT administrator and we are hoping to start work in August,” superintending engineer, UT, Yashpal Gupta, said.

Work will first start on government buildings, followed by other showrooms. The cost of the project is ₹4 crore. The cost of the restoration will be borne by the owners of the building and 430 buildings will be getting a facelift, he added.

The Heritage Committee in its report had mentioned that in the absence of norms, standards or specification for restoration and altered/damaged concrete surfaces, more than 40% of the buildings in Sector-17 (whether publicly-owned, individuals or private ownership) had a façade of exposed cement concrete. The restoration will ensure uniform surface texture and colour of the concrete façade.

The 2031 Draft Master Plan of Chandigarh defines heritage sites and buildings of special architectural interest and empowers the authorities to ensure harmony and unified composition of buildings.