Iconic Town Hall to be opened for public soon

Long back, the walls of the hall echoed with the renditions of the legendary singers and musicians like MS Subbulakshmi, Mangalampalli Balamuralikrishna and Dwaram Venkataswamy Naidu.

Back then, it was said to be Balamuralikrishna's one of the favourite venues to present his renditions in Visakhapatnam.

It's the same place where Mahatma Gandhi, Sir CV Raman, Sarvepalli Radhakirshnan, Rabindranath Tagore and C Rajagopalachari visited, while some of them had delivered thought-provoking lectures.

The venue was the centre for several important civic meetings in the pre-Independence era that also hosted literary meets and cultural events.

The century-old iconic Town Hall that stands tall at Old Town Area in the City of Destiny resonates with many glorious shades of the past. Its history dates back to 1904 wherein it used to be a hub for social activists and freedom fighters to meet at regular intervals and plan their next course of action.

Constructed by the Rajah of Bobbili Venkata Svetachalapathi Ranga Rao, the foundation for the hall was laid in 1901 and inaugurated by the then District Collector of Vizagapatnam RH Campbell.

Much later, the Gothic edifice that boasts a rich history remained in a dilapidated condition for years due to sheer neglect and officials' apathy.

Decades after, the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) eventually initiated restoration work of the structure, identified as one of the heritage buildings, to regain its lost glory as a part of its smart city project. "The renovation work, executed by Savani Heritage Conservation Private Limited, has been taken up at a cost of Rs.3.5 crore and it's almost completed. Owing to the coronavirus pandemic, the project got delayed. Very soon, the Town Hall will be opened for the public," says M Vinay Kumar, Superintendent Engineer, GVMC smart city projects.

The coronavirus pandemic delayed the restoration work of the heritage project to an extent as workers from other states could not return from their hometowns.

Care was taken to restore the structure by incorporating suitable construction material that lends an old-world charm and keeps the originality intact. Apart from the stone towers on either side of the building with spire shaped tops, the structure has semi-circular segmental arched openings.

Along with the iconic Town Hall, Old/European Cemetery, Queen Victoria's Pavilion, Queen Mary's School, Ishak Madina Dargah, among others have also been identified as heritage structures.

Plans are in place to develop the Town Hall into a museum that unfolds chapters of history. And for those visiting the place, the edifice is all set to offer a memorable experience.