Vijayawada: At long last, the state government has decided to do what it should have done years ago.
It has finally decided to release Rs 50 lakh for immediate repairs and renovations to preserve the historic 130-year-old Victoria Museum building and prevent it from collapsing. The money will be spent to arrest the leakages in the roof and to strengthen the basement of the structure.
The building was constructed in 1887 to mark the golden jubilee celebrations of the coronation of the Queen Victoria. The building was used by the British and then the Indian Governments for the administrative purposes.
The department of archaeology and museums took over the elegant building constructed in Indo-European style and established the Victoria Museum in 1962.
The 130-year-old monument developed cracks in its roof and leakages have become common in the rainy season. The basement of the building has also become weak.
Officials had requisitioned the state government, seeking funds to protect the building. Proposals have also been made for the chemical treatment of the entire building and preventive measures to check further deterioration of the walls.
Assistant director of archaeology and museums, Vijayawada region, K. Chittibabu, said tenders will be invited for the works in two months.
He said that the archaeology department has already sanctioned Rs 14 lakh for construction of the compound wall of the museum and another Rs 50 lakh will be released this financial year to protect the monument.
The basement of the building is of European style while the Indian style of architecture, evident by the mini domes and elevation, dominates the building’s upper portion.
It was used to host an industrial exhibition during the British rule and it was later taken over by Nuzvid zamindars.
The district administration and the Zilla Parishad used the building for administrative purposes for some years, before it was transformed into amuseum.
It is one of the oldest monuments of the city, an edifice that the city takes pride in. One of the attractions is the huge painting of Queen Victoria, painted in 1887.
