Built in 1870-71, the Mairie was an important landmark in Puducherry. It formed part of an ensemble of important structures such as the old lighthouse, the customs house and the French Consulate on Goubert Avenue.
Considered a symbol of their power, the French named the premises ‘Town Hall’ (Hotel De Ville), which housed the office of the Puducherry Mayor, the Municipal Council, the Registry and other offices, including the office of Registrar of Births and Deaths.
“It was the biggest administrative building for 100 years and a symbolic landmark during the French regime. It was in this building that the first attempt at democracy for Puducherry was tried out in 1870-1900, long before the first general election was held in British India,” said Ashok Panda, co-convener, Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH).
The building housed the Legislative Assembly of Puducherry for four years from 1964 (when the first general election was held in the wake of de jure transfer of power). The Assembly was shifted to the present premises in 1969. It provided facility for marriages and other public functions.
The eastern and western façade of the building featured arcaded entrance with a verandah on a high plinth accessed by a broad flight of steps in dressed granite. The first floor had coloured galleries and a large ceremonial hall with wooden flooring, Mr. Panda added.
Having braved the elements for over 100 years, the building started showing signs of decay. The cement plaster peeled off the ceiling, and the building started crumbling in 2012, with one part remaining closed. The main part was cleared out and the offices were shifted after the building was declared unsafe. It collapsed in incessant rain in November 2014.
