Quiet Writers' Buildings await arrival of new entrant

The verdict has been given and it is time for Writers' Buildings, the West Bengal state secretariat, to welcome the new entrant to the chief minister's chair.

Normally buzzing with activity, the high ceilinged corridors of Writers' Buildings, which once served as the office for writers of the British East India Company, wore a deserted look as it was a holiday for employees. Only policemen were there maintaining vigil.

There were occasional sounds of the renovation work in progress  before the new government takes charge.

"The room meant for visitors of the chief minister and chief secretary is being renovated," said an official of the PWD ministry, which looks after the building designed in 1780 by Thomas Lyon.

Another minister's room on the second floor was being converted into a waiting room for cabinet ministers, he said.

Though the nameplate of Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee was still hanging since the caretaker government was in charge, his office room was locked.

Lensmen were lounging around waiting for a chance to shoot the empty chair inside, but were denied access 'due to security reasons'.

The earlier press corner which was demolished when Jyoti Basu was the chief minister, was likely to return to its former place once Mamata Banerjee assumed office.

With the victory of Trinamool Congress-Congress alliance, flex banners reading 'Welcome the government of maa-maati-manush (mother-land-people)' swayed gently in the breeze from atop the western and eastern gates of the building.