BORI making unauthorised repairs?

PMC letter permitting repairs doesn't mention Press Building, but research institute breaks side walls of structure

BORI making unauthorised repairs?

PMC letter permitting repairs doesn't mention Press Building, but research institute breaks side walls of structure

The Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute (BORI) in its efforts to conserve and renovate its buildings seems to have strayed from the rules. The permission obtained by the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) allows the 93-year-old institute to carry out repair work only on the Tata Hall and Nizam's Guest House situated on its premises. But the institute has gone ahead and broken the sidewalls of the Press Building, which does not even find mention in the permit given by the PMC.

Heritage hole: The razed side walls of the 76-year- old Press Building
on the premises of the Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute in
Shivajinagar. Pic/Vivek Sabnis

MiD DAY has got a copy of a letter issued by the PMC city engineer's office to BORI on November 27, 2009. The letter authorises the institute to make alterations only in the Tata Hall and Nizam's Guest House, which includes repairing doors, removing oil paints from wooden works, replacing electric cables, fixing leaking roofs and rearranging furniture in both the structures. Sanction to make changes to the Press Building finds no mention in the letter.

Over 90 years old
The 93-year-old BORI was founded on July 6, 1917 to commemorate the work of Ramkrishna Gopal Bhandarkar. The main building houses a Tata Hall for which JRD Tata donated a huge amount , whereas the Nizam's Guest House is a historic place where the decision to establish the University of Pune was made by Barrister Jaykar.

Heritage structure
The printing press of the BORI is an equally important place which falls in Grade I of heritage structures in the city. Many important publications such as the Bombay Sanskrit and Prakrit Series, Government Oriental Series, All India Oriental Conference Proceedings, Collected works of R G Bhandarker (4 Volumes) were printed here.

Museum plan
The press was shut down about a decade ago, as its roof and ceiling were in a dilapidated state. The BORI also plans to convert the Press Building into an international museum.

The Other Side
Dr Maitreyee Deshpande, honorary secretary of Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute (BORI), said that Hemant Mahajan, member of the BORI executive body and also a representative of the PMC Heritage Committee had himself sought the permission from the PMC. "We are spending Rs 1.5 crore to repair the three buildings. "We are converting the Press Building into a museum by tying up with the Michigan State University. Currenlty, we are removing the bookracks. The renovation of the Press Building shall be completed by the end of this year," Deshpande said.u00a0

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