Victoria Memorial Hall being modernised
Nearly 100 years after its completion, the Victoria Memorial Hall is being modernised and upgraded and its interior and exhibition space is being redesigned. The display system has been overhauled to expose the red sandstone architecture inside. All box-type partitions, false ceilings and plywood have been done away with to expose the lofty and vaulted ceilings. The ornate ceilings, with light streaming in through lofty windows and the intricate stone details, will now be visible. Also from June 2019, the Victoria Memorial will open to the public as a disabled-friendly venue. The Memorial will have 2,000 additional artefacts on display and add gallery space as well.
Pugmarks spotted in Bankura, Jhargram
Pugmarks were spotted in the forested regions of Jhargram and Bankura districts last week prompting the forest department to launch an inquiry to find out whether they belong to tigers. The local beat offices have been put on alert and a team was formed to examine the pugmarks. Preliminary examination by the forest officials revealed the pugmarks seem to belong to an adult and a sub-adult tiger. The areas where the pugmarks were spotted were close to a place where a tribal hunting party had killed a tiger in March 2018. Villagers spotted the pugmarks in forests along Bankura-Jhargram border. Fresh pugmarks were also spotted in Satbanki forest in Jhargram. The discovery is significant as Similipal National Park is just about 200 km.
Anglo-Indian leaders meet in Kolkata
Anglo-Indian leaders, principals and professionals from 30-off cities gathered in Kolkata last week to discuss the way forward for the community following revocation of the provision for nominating Anglo-Indian members to the Lok Sabha and state legislatures. The members of All India Anglo-Indian Association organised the meet as they found it was a great concern in the community why the government did this and why they think these seats were not needed. The meeting was convened by the association’s president-in-chief Barry O’Brien at Frank Anthony Public School. The meet was attended by 10 Anglo-Indian organisations.
Crack shuts flyover
A crack was spotted on the one-year-old flyover connecting Jinjirabazar with Budge Budge barring motorists from plying on the newly-constructed facility for an entire day. The engineers of a committee, formed by the Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority which assess the health of bridges, examined the crack and said it was “nothing serious’’. A member of the committee said the top layer of bitumen over a construction joint had cracked. “We inspected the flyover but the crack was nothing alarming. The bitumen coat over the construction joint had cracked for some reason.’’ The 6.8km two-lane flyover was thrown open in 2018.
Pranab Mondal
Our correspondent in West Bengal
pranabm@newindianexpress.com