Some concrete pieces came off the Asiatic Society building on Park Street on Thursday morning, prompting police to cordon off a portion of the footpath along the thoroughfare, near its intersection with Jawaharlal Nehru Road, with guardrails.
Pedestrians headed towards Park Street police station from the intersection were made to move through a makeshift channel made with guardrails along the affected stretch.
Visitors to the Asiatic Society and those to a bank and a bookshop, located adjacent to the Society building, were advised caution while walking through the footpath.
“We were told that a concrete chunk had come off the Asiatic Society building in the morning. Eyewitnesses said two pedestrians walking down the footpath had a close shave,” an officer at Park Street police station said.
“Our officers visited the spot and learnt that concrete pieces had fallen from top of the building, in front of a store that sells sewing machines. That was around 10am. We decided to cordon off a portion of the footpath to avoid any untoward incident,” he said.
The Asiatic Society was founded by William Jones in 1784. In 1808, it moved to its current address on Park Street.
The building remains a monument of national importance and has been declared by the Calcutta Municipal Corporation as a Grade I heritage structure.
After the concrete pieces came off, Park Street police station alerted the control room at Lalbazar. A message was sent to the traffic guard concerned to set up a channel for safe movement of pedestrians.
“Pedestrians who crossed the ‘drop-gate’ at the intersection of Park Street and JL Nehru Road and were moving towards the Asiatic Society footpath were directed to the makeshift channel,” an officer said.
The main entrance to the Asiatic Society building was closed with guardrails. Visitors and employees used another entrance.
“We spoke to officials of the Asiatic Society and they said the restoration and repair work would start on Friday,” an officer at Lalbazar said.
Officials at the Society said the Central Public Works Department was responsible for maintaining the building.
“The department concerned has brought it to the notice of the contractor who repaired the building recently,” said Satyabrata Chakrabarti, general secretary of the Asiatic Society. “Two floors were added to the four-storeyed building.... Those who are responsible for maintaining the building are on the job.”
