The State government on Tuesday handed over work on conservation and restoration of five heritage court buildings in the city to the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH), New Delhi.
The buildings are the Metropolitan Magistrate Court, George Town; Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court, Saidapet; Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court, Egmore; Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court, Egmore; and Small Causes Court, High Court campus.
The conservation and renovation work will be executed by the Public Works Department (PWD) in consultation with INTACH, officials said.
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As part of structural conservation, the expert agency has proposed the removal of additional constructions that detract from the heritage value of the buildings. The project will also involve restoration of architectural features that are deteriorating as well as finishing, decoration and water-proofing of the buildings.
The work is likely to involve shifting the courts temporarily to rented premises. The project aims at restoring these buildings to retain their heritage characteristics for long-term stability.