National Museum of Danish to conserve heritage buildings in WB: Tourism officials

National Museum of Danish will conserve the heritage buildings of Serampore in West Bengal's Hoogly District, said state tourism officials.

Speaking in tourism interactive meet here, tourism officials said that the area was dominated with large Danish settlement on the bank of the river Hoogly from 1755 to 1845 before British arrival in India and told that around 116 Danish elegant structures buildings will be renovated by Danish experts in 26 km area on the bank of river Hoogly.

The officials told that there are around 116 neo-classical architectural style, heritage buildings in the area and around 51 percent of these buildings are occupied by government organisations while rest are owned by pvt. trusts ,and commercial organizations .

National Museum of Denmark has formulated ambitious plan in collaboration with the West Bengal Heritage Commission (WBHC) for the revival of lost glory of these buildings.

National Museum of Denmark will enhance the specific historic identity of Serampore and also improve the aesthetic and recreational qualities of the town heritage buildings through citizen-centric inclusive conservation projects by actively involving the local populations, NGOs and various other stake holders.

The state tourism department has formulated grand plans to promote heritage tourism in the area and link it with other former European colonies along the Hooghly.

The ambitious Serampore project will serve as a model for similar conservation projects in the entire state and Kolkata in particular.

The rich Danish heritage at Serampore had prospered under Danish, the Danes handed over the entire property to the English for a sum of Rs 1.2 million on October 11, 1845.

The Department of Tourism, Govt. of West Bengal has formulated a Heritage Tourism Master Plan to preserve and develop the old heritage colonial buildings along the banks of the river Hooghly between Serampur and Bandel on the western bank and Barrackpore on the eastern bank of the river.