135-yr-old heritage parcel godown demolished, hopes shattered

Berhampur: The 135-year-old Parcel Godown building, situated in Paralakhemundi railway station complex, built by then Maharaja Goura Chandra Gajapati Narayan Deo, the main architect of Paralakhemundi Railway infrastructure, has been demolished. The godown was built to provide logistic support to the traders and the State.

The demolition of the structure by the Waltair Division is a direct attack on the heritage of Odisha. It is deeply saddening to see crumbling of the 135-year-old parcel house built under the PLR Railway era in Paralakhemundi despite numerous requests from citizens to preserve this historic structure, locals said.

The demolition of this antique structure is a tragic loss for the people of Paralakhemundi, who had hoped to safeguard its memory by establishing a museum to showcase the parcel house and other artifacts. The railway authorities’ decision to proceed with the demolition without considering the citizens’ pleas is insensitive. It disregards the community’s attachment to their shared history, they said.

Amiya Bhushan Tripathy, Convenor, INTACH Odisha Chapter, had earlier requested Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw to open Parlakimidi Light Railway (PLR)-based Heritage Railway Museum in any one of the old vintage structures like Old Station Master building or the Old Parcel Godown situated inside Paralakhemundi railway station.

But the Old Station Master building was demolished four months ago and the Old Parcel Godown structure was demolished on May 16. These two buildings were the two important parts of Odisha’s first dedicated railway infrastructure and held immense cultural and heritage value for the local community. The Old Parcel Godown building was built with stone slabs, Ghumsur teak wood, Sal wood from Mahendragiri Eastern Ghat and Basel Mission pattern tiles manufactured in a factory at Naupada Yard. The CommonWealth Trust Ltd, or locally referred to as Basel Mission tile factory run by the German missionary with an unnamed Indian master-potter, was the first tile manufacturing factory to be set up at Mangalore in 1860. However, the Naupada unit manufactured the tiles of this pattern a few decades later.

“It is crucial for each of us to highlight the significance of preserving the cultural heritage of Paralakhemundi, especially the Old Parcel Godown built by Maharaja Goura Chandra Gajapati Narayan Deo,” said Sanjaya Jena, Manoj Kumar Mahakud and several others of Paralakhemundi. This historic building, adorned with contemporary design tiles, stands as a testament to the rich legacy of Paralakhemundi’s railway infrastructure.

“It is crucial that the government and Railway authorities prioritise the preservation of such heritage sites, which serve as tangible links to our past and shape our collective identity,” they said. The demolition of the parcel house is a stark reminder of the urgent need for stronger heritage conservation policies and greater public participation in decision-making processes, locals said.

Let’s cherish Paralakhemundi railway station as a heritage monument of old glory, preserving it for another century and beyond. It’s time for all to come together to ensure that the memories and scattered troves articles of the parcel house are preserved, even in its absence, so that future generations can appreciate the rich history it represents, they said.