‘Kuthirai Vandi Court’ building renovation work gathers pace

Coimbatore: The Kuthirai Vandi Court, a British-era building which was earlier housing old magistrate court, is being restored at the cost of Rs 9 crore.
Standing tall on a sprawling 2.6 acre next to Avinashi Road, the building was constructed in 1863 by the British to house courts.
The building was called ‘Kuthirai Vandi Court’ after drivers of horse-drawn carts were fined at the structure for traffic violations during the British era.
It was one of the historical buildings taken up for renovation by the heritage division of the public works department. The decrepit building was taken up for restoration based on the recommendation from the judicial department.
An official from PWD said that the building has two court chambers with Madras terrace-roofing. The building was constructed using lime mortar.
A couple of years ago, a PWD team found the building completely damaged during their visit. Trees had rooted deeply through the walls. Hence, major portion of the structure could not be restored. However, the old structure would be exactly replicated using the same lime mortar material and Madras terrace-roofing.
The structure was known for its high pillars and elevation works. The bricks that were intact have been retrieved from the old structure. They will be reused. Meanwhile, triangle shaped bricks required for the construction of pillars have been procured and kept at the construction site, officials said.
“We took up the work in February-end. It was scheduled to be completed in a year. However, owing to pandemic it might take a few more months for completion. A heritage contractor has been awarded the work through bidding process,” an official from PWD said.
The structure could also be converted into a museum if required as the building would be suited for it as well, the official said.
Carpenters are also working on the site to make the required number of wooden frames for roofing. The old frames, which were exposed to sun and rain for a very long time, got damaged.
Once the restoration work is completed, landscaping would be done around the building, which would enhance the look of the building with lawns and beautiful plants.