The archaeological site was demolished by the authorities for the expansion of the Brahmaputra riverfront project.
Digital Desk: Demolition of the 19th-century heritage site Mahafezkhana, one of Assam's oldest surviving concrete structures and situated adjacent to the erstwhile district commissioner's office in Guwahati, has sparked outrage among the citizens of the state. The oldest heritage structure in Guwahati was demolished by the Guwahati Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA) on Friday, with many criticising the Assam government for demolishing instead of protecting it.
The archaeological site was demolished by the authorities for the expansion of the Brahmaputra riverfront project.
However, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma defended the decision to demolish it and said that it was a 'symbol of gulami' (slavery) and 'not a heritage site'. He said that sites built during colonial rule should be taken down. He also claimed that Mahafezkhana was not an archaeological site.
Several people questioned the need for demolition as the matter was highlighted on social media platforms by citizens. People argued that the site could have been developed as part of the riverfront beautification project instead of demolishing it.
Mahafezkhana or record room, was constructed between 1855 and 1865 by the British administration. A book named 'Forever Guwahati', published by the GMDA in 2014 stated that the structure with 20-inch thick walls was one of two structures in Guwahati that combated the 1897 earthquake. It served as a ready archive, containing maps, administrative orders, and all kinds of land records.
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