The Chennai Corporation council passed a resolution on Wednesday permitting the temporary relocation of three statues within the Ripon Building campus to facilitate the Metro Rail work.
The statues, including those of George Frederick Samvel Marqvess of Ripon (Viceroy of India 1880-1884), are likely to be shifted temporarily by the Metro Rail shortly.
Other works required for the project in the Ripon Building campus and Victoria Public Hall would begin after Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority's Heritage Conservation Committee gives its approval.
A team of officials of the Chennai Metro Rail Limited (CMRL) had visited Ripon Building on April 20 and inspected the heritage structures that are likely to be shifted to facilitate the construction of an underground station box.
The civic body had requested the CMRL to leave the statue of Pitty Theagaraya, first president of Madras Corporation, undisturbed.
The CMRL has agreed to examine the possibility of completing the work without shifting the statue.
Height of barricades
The CMRL had also assured the Chennai Corporation of limiting the height of the barricades in the Ripon Building campus to five feet.
The ventilator shafts would be positioned along the western boundary of Ripon Building. The escalators for the station may be located at the south west corner of Ripon Building.
The gate of the Victoria Public Hall would be temporarily shifted to the side facing the Moore Market Complex to facilitate the Metro Rail work.
The health centre building in Saidapet zonal office and ESI land nearby would also be handed over to the CMRL.
