Registered with the Reg. No. TN/CH(C)/374/15-17 Registrar of Newspapers Licenced to post without prepayment for India under R.N.I. 53640/91 Licence No. TN/PMG(CCR)/WPP-506/15-17 Publication: 15th & 28th of every month Rs. 5 per copy (Annual Subscription: Rs. 100/-) WE CARE FOR MADRAS THAT IS CHENNAI INSIDE • Short ‘N’ Snappy • The Cousins’ role • Growing up in Adyar • A T’Nagar dream • MATSCIENCE is born Vol. XXIV No. 22 MUSINGS March 1-15, 2015 To many, heritage Madras Landmarks is a mere facade – 50 years ago e have had occasions to from fire damage, most of this der, it is to be assumed that in Wwrite about this in the building was structurally intact the present instance, approval past and we still feel it is a mat- and could have been put to cre- has been sought from the Heri- ter of greater relevance even ative alternative use. tage Conservation Committee now. There appears to be a mis- According to the judgement (HCC) and the CMDA before taken notion among those who delivered by the High Court of demolition work was begun. It matter – Government officials, Madras on April 29, 2010 on is, however, in the interpreta- those in real estate and some Writ Petition No 25306 of 2006 tion of this judgement that architects – that heritage pres- which, incidentally, is the only there is necessity for greater ervation is all about retaining protection that heritage build- clarity, for several parties have the façade of a building while ings have in our city, “No de- begun to assume that all that it the rest can be changed in any velopment or redevelopment or protects is the facade of a heri- fashion. This, if allowed to con- engineering operation or addi- tage building. This is because, tinue, will create a set of pas- tions, alterations, repairs, reno- the court has relied on a listing tiche fronts and that will be all vations including the painting of heritage buildings put to- that we can claim as our heri- of buildings, replacement of gether by the Justice E Padma- tage. It would be best if this nabhan Committee in connec- trend were corrected at the ear- tion with another case which liest. G By The Editor related to outdoor hoardings. Take the case of the Bosot- That committee’s report was to’s building on Mount Road. A mainly concerned with facades landmark of the city, it has had special features or demolition of as it focussed on preventing a history of more than a cen- the whole or any part thereof or heritage structures from being tury, beginning life as D’Angelis plastering of said listed/heritage hidden by large outdoor hoard- hotel, once one of the best ho- buildings or listed/heritage pre- ings. However, when judge- G One of the most handsome edifices on NSC Bose (formerly China Bazaar/ tels in the city, and continuing cincts shall be carried out ex- ment was delivered in connec- Esplanade) Road is the National Insurance Building. Built in 1938 in the classic to remain a hotel under various cept with the prior written per- tion with WP 25306, the list art deco style, it is one of the earliest structures of that genre in the city, its owners till the 1970s, when it mission of the Member Secre- was taken as one on heritage construction being more or less simultaneous with that of new (and present) became viewed as a prime piece tary, Chennai Metropolitan buildings as a whole and did not Dare House further down the road. It also holds significance for being the first of real estate (for further details Development Authority. The deal with simply protecting the art deco building of the city to be designed by an Indian – L. M. Chitale. see MM, May 1, 2014, ‘Land- Member Secretary, Chennai facades. The property itself is much older, for it forms half of what used to be the marks of Madras’ series). It has Metropolitan Development The fact remains, however, Esplanade branch of Spencer & Co, the other half still surviving in its original been listed as a heritage build- Authority shall act in consulta- that there is at present scope for form and now home to a popular eatery. From the latter we can gauge that what ing worthy of preservation by tion with the Heritage Conser- a wrong interpretation of the stood in the place of the National Insurance Building was an Indo-Saracenic structure. the High Court of Madras. And vation Committee to be ap- yet, as the photograph below pointed by Government (here- (Continued on page 8) (Continued on page 2) will testify, work on the demoli- inafter called ‘the said Heritage tion of its interiors has begun. Conservation Committee’). This is indeed a pity, for, apart Such being the Court’s or- What’s achieved by changing road names? here was recently a report hand, they are likely to cause whether in the present case Tin the city newspapers a lot of irritation among the the Corporation and the Ass- which probably went unno- residents of the re-named embly have assented to the ticed. Halls Road, it was thoroughfare and its users. change. announced, has been renamed The rules are quite clear This is not the first instance Tamizh Vazhi Salai. A new about change of names for roads of re-naming. The earliest spree signboard to that effect would and streets. These need was in the late 1960s when a soon be put up, the report went change in regime saw several on. It is not clear from the G By A Special streets getting new names. But report as to who or which body that was a different era. A new had taken this decision or Correspondent party had won power largely on whether it was final. If it is, then the basis of a language issue and it is high time the authorities resolutions to be passed by the such an act was very much in realised that such acts are relevant civic body. However, keeping with the prevailing nothing but empty gestures that the decision needs to be ratified public mood. But now the aver- are unlikely to cut ice with the by the State Legislature before age citizen has moved on. Only general public. On the other the change can actually take D’Angelis/Bosotto Building, now under the wreckers’ hammers. effect. There is no clarity on (Continued on page 2) CMYK 2 MADRAS MUSINGS March 1-15, 2015 WHY CHANGE ROAD NAMES? Motor registration madness here was a time when get- to using them. Only it now when it comes to the two- (Continued from page 1) taking up one road at a time Tting a number plate for transpires that the Govern- wheelers. The hoi polloi are would pass by unnoticed. At your vehicle was a simple ment never sanctioned these. easy pickings. And so they least that appears to have been matter. The Man from Madras As to who sanctioned them, we pounce on this unfortunate the political parties of the State Musings speaks of a not so dis- shall never know and it will category of road-user with do not appear to have woken up the thinking behind the present tant past when each time you rank among those all time what in the old days would to the fact. This became evident change. bought a new vehicle (which mysteries such as the Man in have been termed as gay in 2010 when the then Corpo- While we are all for com- was not so often, no matter how the Iron Mask and closer abandon. A quick pounce, a well to do you were), you took home, the Bhawal Sanyasi jerking off of the ignition key ration Council announced that memorating and honouring the it to the Regional Transport case. with a deft flick of the wrist, all streets in the city that com- language of our State, we can- memorated British personalities Office, applied for a number The upshot is that the and the victim is at your not help wonder as to why this and got one eventually, along police have swung into action mercy. would be re-named after Tamil name has been given to Hall’s scholars. What followed was a with the number plate, this be- with what can only be termed The other day, MMM was Road. It is not as though any ing the RTO’s responsibility. as glee. They lurk behind trees walking by (he finds that he is spirited protest from the resi- Tamil scholar has lived on that There was a standard for the and jump out at cars thereby happiest using this natural dents. They pointed out that in stretch. And if at all the name number plate and that is what causing nervous drivers to shy form of transport) when he es- the event of a re-naming, they had to be given, why was it not everyone followed. and rear. In fact, were it not for pied a group of policemen had to go through the pain of bestowed on a thoroughfare in Then came this craze for the seat belt law, many could lurking behind a few lamp- informing several statutory and the newer parts of the city? Is customised number plates. fall off their saddles. But this is posts at a sharp bend. The other corporate bodies, with Some wanted them to be in no concern of the police. They moment a two-wheeler round- the mother tongue honoured outlandish fonts.