Chepauk Palace restoration to begin next week

PWD (Heritage) has been doing urgent repairs for the past two months. “The main works include the restoration of the building and it will be carried out in another three months. We will relocate the employees to another part of the building to carry out the works,” he said.

Although repair works were done earlier, this is the first time the heritage structure is getting restored at an estimated cost of Rs 20 crore. The building was built in 1865 as the residence of Nawab of Arcot. At present, it accommodates the PWD and irrigation offices inside the complex.

The building, designed by Robert Chisholm, has two rectangular wings on either side. One of the wings was repaired and it is being utilised to maintain official records.

Officials said the projects have been moving at a slow pace as they are time and money driven. The materials are being tested for quality at the PWD’s laboratory in Taramani. For the restoration works, lime and river sand sourced from Tiruchi and Virudhunagar will be utilised.

For Mughal plastering, timber and flat terrace bricks were purchased from Tirukattupalli in Thanjavur, lime mortar from Pollachi and Madras terrace bricks from Kerala.