Tripura museum and cultural centre to get facelift worth Rs 6.38 crore

Agartala: The Tripura government has sanctioned Rs 6.38 crore to expedite retrofitting works on century-old Maharaja Birendra Kishore Manikya State Museum and Cultural Centre, an official said on Sunday.

Around 30 per cent of retrofitting work on the heritage building has so far been completed while the remaining part is expected to be completed by next year.

The Pushpabant Palace which was built by Maharaja Birendra Kishore Manikya in 1917, was turned into a museum by the state government last year.

Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore, who had close ties with the Tripura royal family, stayed in the palace in 1926.

"Tripura State Disaster Management Authority (TSDMA) has sanctioned Rs 6.38 crore to undertake retrofitting works on Maharaja Birendra Kishore Manikya State Museum and Cultural Centre under state disaster mitigation fund to the Tourism department," said Uttam Paul, the executive engineer of the Tourism Department.

"Since the building has become fragile, it needs to undergo major retrofitting works as part of a revamping plan. The Raj Bhavan which was housed at the erstwhile Pushpabant Palace was relocated to a new location because of its vulnerability," he said.

According to Paul, the pace of retrofitting work on the heritage building is tardy because of its unique nature of materials used in the building.

"Around 30 per cent of work has been completed so far and one more year is required for the retrofitting work," he said.

Earlier, the state government sanctioned Rs 40.13 crore for the development of the heritage structure of Maharaja Birendra Kishore Manikya Museum and Cultural Centre. The museum, to be developed as a digital museum under the guidance of the National Council of Science Museums will showcase the rich heritage of all the Northeastern states, the fine arts of Southeast Asia, contemporary photography, and national as well as international archives.

"Once the retrofitting works are done, it will take only six months to turn the heritage structure into a digital museum," he added.