Changes in Presidency Univ building in keeping with safety and

Presidency University Vice-chancellor Anuradha Lohia Tuesday said the varsity's decision to pull down a 144-year old gate for a new one was in keeping with the safety and security aspects.

Those opposing it were driven by sentimental reasons, she said at a discussion on city's architectural heritage here.

The gate of the erstwhile Presidency College, which was upgraded to a university eight years ago, was demolished in December 2016 and had been opposed by a section of its students and conservationists.

"The protest over demolishing the old gate was not practical, yet we appreciated that some people had sentimental reasons for wanting an old gate," she told reporters on the sidelines of the programme.

Presidency College was set up in 1816 and known as the Hindu College by Raja Ram Mohan Roy, educationist David Hare and Sir Edward Hyde East, the then chief justice of the Supreme Court in Fort William, among others. It has an illustrous aluumni, including Nobel Laureate Amartya Sen.

About allegations that the stately heritage building, which is reminiscent of Victorian architecture, had been tampered with and a 100-year-old banyan tree arching over the gate was hacked after the demolition of the old gate, Lohia said, "They were misguided and misinformed that we were destroying heritage. We did not, we actually restoring heritage. We had Heritage Commission architects with us and there is no question of doing anything wrong."
Talking about demolition of heritage buildings in the city, the legendary actor said "There have been instances of heritage buildings being demolished despite having the tag, which should not have taken place."