CEG alumni warn about possible damage to heritage cupolas during widening of Sardar Patel Road
The Alumni Association of College of Engineering, Guindy (AACEG) has expressed concern that the works taken up to widen Sardar Patel Road could damage heritage
The Alumni Association of College of Engineering, Guindy (AACEG) has expressed concern that the works taken up to widen Sardar Patel Road could damage heritage structures adjacent to the gate of Anna University. The AACEG said it had reliably learnt that two historic cupolas, forming a part of the grand entrance on two sides of the main gate, were likely to be demolished, as they interfered with the proposed road alignment. The cupolas, they said, were not merely ornamental structures, but were integral to the architectural elements of the historic building when it was constructed in the early 1900s. The CEG moved to the current campus in July 1920 and has been functioning there ever since.
The cupolas were replicas of the central dome of the CEG main building and should be conserved, as “generations of students, faculty members, and visitors have regarded them as a symbolic gateway to one of India’s premier engineering institutions”, read a letter that the Association addressed to various agencies, including the State Highways Department, Greater Chennai Corporation, the Registrar of Anna University, and the Dean of CEG. Humayun Kabir, treasurer, AACEG, said he consulted structural engineers in Anna University, and they assured him that it was possible to relocate the cupolas. “Due to the road widening works, about 15 feet of Anna University’s land has been handed over to the State Highways Department.
The heritage boundary wall has mostly been demolished. The authorities should shift the cupolas 15 feet inwards without causing any damage,” he said. Kabir said that, according to engineers, the depth of the foundation could be ascertained through simple test pit excavations, after which the structures could be lifted using cranes and relocated to the newly demarcated place. The operation should be carried out cautiously so as not to cause any structural damage to the cupolas. “It is not easy to carry out repair work on the dome. In 2024, the central dome was damaged due to lightning. It took over a year to finish the repair,” Mr. Kabir recalled.
The dome was built using a mixture of lime mortar, kadukkai or myrobalan (gall nut), and pannangu karuppatti or palm jaggery. The mix is fermented for about two weeks, which improves water proofing, and boosts structural strength and durability. The materials are easily available, but the process is a bit complicated. Kabir says he has received oral assurances from the Anna University Registrar that the structures will not be damaged, but he is yet to hear of what the authorities plan to do.
The BriefWire