Will DRM office building be in metro shadow forever?
LUCKNOW: Will the grand old DRM office building, once the headquarters of Oudh and Rohilkhand Railways, regain its lost glory? Residents, historians and heritage enthusiasts are doubtful, specially after the Lucknow Metro Rail Corporation (LMRC) set up elevator and other structures in front of the building.
Some people said the structures that had come up in place of the building’s porch brought down by the LMRC to facilitate the construction of Hazratganj metro station, would overshadow the DRM office forever.
“I doubt if the structure would regain its lost glory. I can still visualize the beautiful porch that enhanced the magnificence of the structure. Last year, the porch was razed to facilitate the construction work. Given the modern marble structures (elevators and entry sheds) in front of the building, it seems that the colonial structure won’t be able to regain its lost beauty,” said Yogesh Praveen, a renowned historian, who has penned several books on the buildings of Awadh.
Praveen also slammed the LMRC for not fulfilling its promise. “The LMRC had promised construction of porch. That was fine but it had never mentioned about the construction of modern structures in front of the building. These structures are not even in symmetry with other structures in the area and this is no less than an encroachment on the building’s view,” he added.
S Mohammed Haider, a heritage enthusiast and a corporate lawyer said, the construction of the metro station was the need of the hour. “But it should be in symmetry with other structures. The marble and granite structures appear no less than a public toilet, which is sad,” he said.
He said he planned to meet LMRC officials with a group of citizens, to ask them to ensure construction in such a way that it did not spoil the beauty of the DRM office as well as the Hazratganj that was over 150 years old.
Some heritage enthusiast said the city’s rich architecture could not be demolished just to pave way for new establishments. They said it was illogical as such masterpieces could not be constructed again.
To recall, the DRM office’s monumental porch was brought down by LMRC last year following the metro construction work. LMRC officials had said that the new porch would come up at the same place and would be identical to the original one.
Officials in the DRM office, while highlighting the history of the office building, said the building was earlier the headquarters of Oudh and Rohilkhand Railways that was formed in 1872. They said the operation on railway lines between Lucknow, Hardoi, Barabanki and Moradabad was managed by the Oudh Rohilkhand Railways.