A 120-year-old building on Canal Street, renovated and restored by Kolkata police, has emerged as one of the finest heritage precincts to house an office of a traffic guard in the city.
Almond House is the office of Sealdah traffic guard and remains an attraction among heritage conservationists, a section of whom had felt that the decrepit building would have to be probably pulled down when they first visited in 2014.
“Everyone had almost forgotten Almond House. Today this sprawling double-storied building is one of the finest heritage structures associated with Kolkata police,” said a senior officer in Lalbazar.
“We have carried out extensive conservation and restoration work.”
Almond House was originally owned by C.H. Smith, a Britisher, from 1892 to 1900 before C.J. Disscut bought it, senior police officers who consulted several historians during the restoration work, said.
After a change of multiple ownership, Sir Abdul Halim Ghaznavi, who went on to become Kolkata’s Sheriff in 1935, bought the property, they said.
This house became the venue of several political meetings, including those of the Swaraj Party, officers said.
In 1948, Ghaznavi bequeathed “Almond House” to a trust, including its rich collection of rare books and documents.
In time, the house fell into a state of complete disrepair and the trustees could no longer maintain it.
“We have learnt from historical documents and gazettes that on August 18, 1970, the 28 cottah property was acquired by the Commissioner of Police, Kolkata, for the Enforcement Branch,” the officer said.
“On March 17, 1976, Sealdah traffic guard shifted here,” he said.
Apart from its intrinsic value, the traffic guard building is also notable for its address, 18 Canal Street, because the Beliaghata Circular Canal that this street was named after played a critical role in the early settlement of Kolkata, before the arrival of the British.
“Some records mention the existence of this canal as far back as the 12th century when Ballal Sen was kingof Bengal,” the police officer said.
Sealdah traffic guard is not the only one.
Kolkata police have renovated and restored the Jorabagan traffic guard building on Sovabazar Street.
Green activist no more
Samar Bagchi, a former director of the Birla Institute of Technology and Management and an environment activist, passed away on Thursday morning.
He is survived by a daughter.
The activist and a nonagenarian was the state convener of the National Alliance of People’s Movement for a long time and worked closely with environmentalist Medha Patkar.
In recent years, Bagchi continually advocated lifestyle changes to combat climatic impacts.
He was against the proposed Deocha Pachami coal mining project as it could impact the climate.